Texas low in supporting tobacco prevention programs

Texas ranks an abysmal 42nd in the nation in funding programs to protect kids from tobacco, according to a national report released this month by a coalition of public health organizations. Texas spends $11.8 million a year on tobacco prevention programs -- just 11.4 percent of the minimum amount of $103.2 million recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Sadly, this low ranking represents an improvement for the Lone Star state; last year, Texas ranked 45th.

The annual report from the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, the American Heart Association, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network and the American Lung Association revealed these ugly notes about tobacco and kids in Texas:

• Tobacco companies spend more than $884 million a year on marketing in Texas. This is 75 times what the state spends on tobacco prevention.
• Texas this year will collect $2.1 billion from the tobacco settlement and tobacco taxes but will spend less than 1 percent of it on tobacco prevention.

Are that many kids really smoking? Unfortunately, yes.

• Currently, 23 percent of high school students and 20.8 percent of adults smoke in the United States.
• Nearly 90 percent of all smokers start at or before age 18.
• Every day, another 1,000 kids become regular smokers, one-third of whom will die prematurely as a result.
• In Texas, 24.2 percent of high school students smoke, and 35,900 more kids become regular smokers every year.

Get more information at www.tobaccofreekids.org.