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Tobacco Control Program Cut by 42%!

Massachusetts Tobacco Control Program Cut by 42%!

The MTCP is currently funded at $12.25 million.  The Governor’s FY2010 budget proposal would reduce funding to $7.5 million, a 42% reduction from FY2009 levels and less than 1% of the $844 million in total tobacco revenue collected by the state every year. 

Cuts to the Massachusetts Tobacco Control Program will:

  • Reduce the capacity of the state QuitLine, providing NRTs, quit tips and counseling information to adult smokers who want to try to quit.  This program was used by over 15,000 smokers from July-December 2008. 
  • Eliminate the free Nicotine Replacement Therapy (the patch) programs.
  • Decrease the number of compliance checks.  We know from the 2002 cuts to tobacco control there was a resulting increase in illegal sales to minors.  Rates went from 8.9% in 2002 to 23% in 2006. 
  • Decrease and eliminate many youth prevention programs across the state (MTCP mini-grants).

Tobacco is the leading cause of preventable death in Massachusetts; every hour another person dies of tobacco-related illness in the commonwealth.  Every single hour, every single day. This is the first step in the budget process, and we will be turning to YOU to help us work with the Legislature in the coming months to restore funding to the program!



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