Tobacco prevention funds to be cut

According to the American Heart Association, "In a last minute move at the end of session, the (Washington State) legislature passed additional cuts for the current budget year that will completely shut down the Tobacco Prevention and Control Program (TPCP) for May and June."

In our state, tobacco prevention strategies have successfully decreased smoking rates. In six years, the TPCP has

1) reduced the number of kids smoking by 65,000 (50%) and

2) saved $2.1 billion in future healthcare costs.

The TPCP shows that prevention does indeed work!