Montana Action Center

The Joint Appropriation Health and Human Services Subcommittee has voted to "defund" the Montana Tobacco Use Prevention Program. This means no more Quit Line, no more Montana Tobacco Control Contractors and more cancer, illness and death for Montanans. Montanans voted specifically for these funds from the Tobacco Settlement to fund proven prevention and cessation programs.

These members of the Montana Legislature chose Corporate Tobacco over Montana's children. Five men overturned the will of 65% of voters who overwhelmingly approved I-146--and eliminated funding for the Montana Tobacco Use Prevention Program (MTUPP).

Representative Don Roberts (an oral surgeon) of Billings moved to eliminate the funding for the Montana Tobacco Use Prevention Program and Senator Dave Lewis of Helena, Representative Tom Burnett of Bozeman, Representative John Esp of Big Timber and Senator Jason Priest of Red Lodge supported him by voting to eliminate the $8.4 M Annual budget of the Nationally recognized Montana Tobacco Use Prevention Program.

Senator Mary Cafferro of Helena and Representative Trudi Schmidt of Great Falls eloquently spoke in defense of the program with Representative Tony Belcourt of Box Elder work with them to oppose this devastating amendment.

Evidence shows that these programs work in Montana. In the past decade tobacco use rates have dropped significantly in the state. Since 2001 usage rates have dropped 23.2% among adults and 46.5% among Montana’s youth. Despite this progress, tobacco use is still the leading preventable cause of death in Montana. Tobacco related illnesses kills 1400 Montanans annually and costs the state and taxpayers $277 million each year in health care related costs. Montana needs to continue and strengthen our efforts in helping adults stop tobacco use, and keep our children from ever starting.

The cost in lives and dollars each year is just too much for the state of Montana to bear. Help us in our grassroots effort to let these legislators know that we will not tolerate stealing money from I-146--and we demand they reinstate 100% of the funding for the Montana Tobacco Use Prevention Program.

Five Things You Can Do TODAY!

Send an Email
Write a letter to the editor
Join Project Pink Lungs on Facebook
Become a member of ACS CAN
Join us at Montana Celebration on the Hill

 MEDIA CENTER

In the News
Billings Gazette:  Budget Panel chop tobacco-prevention funds
Billings Gazette:  Ewer, Republicans on Budget Panel Spar over $80M in Medicaid Funds
Bozeman Magazine:  Call to Action:  Restore MT Tobacco Prevention
Carbon County News:  Tobacco Prevention Cut by 90%
Missoulian:  Republican Senators Cut Montana Tobacco Prevention Funding
Havre Daily News:  HELP Director Asks About Tobacco Fund Restoration
Ravali Republic:  Legislature Cuts Tobacco Prevention Funds
KPAX (Missoula):  Missoula Health Officials Blast State Cuts
Liberty County Times:  Healthy Liberty County Coalition Needs Support

Opinion Editorials
Billings Gazette:  5 Legislators Overturn Voters Health Madate
Great Falls Tribune: To save Montanan's Lives Reinstate Anti-Tobacco Program

Letters to the Editor
I-146 is working
This program works
Tobacco Prevention Budget Cuts
Overturning the Will of the People
It's Big Tobacco vs Our Kids