The decision by the Ohio Supreme Court in the Tobacco Use Prevention & Control Foundation Board of Trustees v. Boyce case is a great loss for Ohio children. We are disappointed that the money from the Master Settlement Agreement will not be used as it was intended—to prevent tobacco use in children and adults and to curb the medical costs to the state associated with tobacco use.

The decision couldn’t come at a worse time for the state. On June 30, 2010, the state cut all funding for tobacco prevention and cessation programming. Experiences of other states in similar situations indicate that tobacco-use rates are poised to increase, as are the associated costs to the state budget and taxpayers.

The court’s decision makes it all the more urgent that Ohio lawmakers invest in tobacco prevention to save lives and save money. In Ohio, more than 18,000 kids become new daily smokers each year and more than 18,000 adults die every year from smoking. Annually, smoking costs Ohio $4.37 billion, $1.4 billion of which is covered by the state Medicaid program. In fact, each household in Ohio pays $618 every year in state and federal taxes because of smoking-caused government expenditures. Ohio can’t afford not to invest in tobacco prevention and cessation programs.

Statement by the American Lung Association of Ohio, American Heart Association and the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.