The American Cancer Society strongly urges the state to increase state funding for tobacco control in New Jersey in this year's budget.  Last year funding for tobacco control was reduced dramatically, from over $7.5 million (in 2010) to approximately $600,000 today, ranking New Jersey 46^th out of the 50 states in tobacco control funding. The reduction in funding seriously undermines New Jersey’s ability to adequately address the #1 cause of preventable death and disease in our state – tobacco.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that New Jersey spend $119.8 million annually for a comprehensive tobacco control program. Despite this recommendation, funding for tobacco control in our state has been cut from a high of $30 million to approximately $600,000 today—an over 95% reduction in funding, and just 0.5% of what the CDC recommends that we spend.

This reduction in funding is truly counter-productive. Results from other states show that an increased investment in tobacco control can lead to lower smoking rates, saving the state millions of dollars in the long run, including savings to the state’s Medicaid program.

New Jersey’s current tax of $2.70/pack makes it the nation’s 6^th highest, but spending on tobacco prevention amounts to less than 1% of the approximately $1 billion in revenue the state collects each year in tobacco taxes and Master Settlement Agreement payments.