Calls For Funding of New Jersey’s Tobacco Control Program
TRENTON – Senator Shirley K. Turner (D-Mercer, Hunterdon) today announced that she has introduced legislation aimed at helping to reduce smoking among New Jersey residents.
The bill would reinstate funding to the state’s Comprehensive Tobacco Control Program, which was defunded under the Christie Administration. The bill would reinstate the funding to the FY2010 level of $7.56 million.
“The bill would provide funding to help restore our smoking cessation and prevention program,” said Senator Turner. “We have allowed too many years of opportunity to pass when we could have been helping people quit the deadly habit. It’s a great return on our small investment when we can help save lives and prevent long-term diseases by reducing the number of smokers who are exposing themselves and others to carcinogens through second-hand smoke. We want to educate our children to prevent them from developing the addictive smoking habit.”
Last month, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free kids, ranked New Jersey dead last in the nation for protecting children against the dangers of smoking and tobacco use. New Jersey is the only state that spends nothing on tobacco control and prevention, according to the organization.
Earlier this month it was announced that New Jersey would receive approximately $92 million in revenue through the national tobacco settlement, but the money is not going to help people stop smoking or dealing with the medical ills associated with the deadly habit. Instead it is being used to plug the current FY 2014 deficit, which is a direct result of this Administration’s over-estimation of revenue collections for the third year in a row.