Anti-smoking advocates target Michigan spending [View All]

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Source: South Bend Tribune

LANSING — Ten years after major tobacco companies agreed to pay about $8 billion annually for 25 years to Michigan and other states, some states aren't using the money as it was intended, health experts say.

Michigan received $290 million of it in 2008 and is among the worst offenders in how it spends the cash, according to several anti-smoking advocates.

"Michigan has not used a single penny for tobacco prevention and control," said Susan Schechter, director of advocacy for the Michigan chapter of the American Lung Association. "It was a wonderful opportunity but we missed the boat."

The 10-year-old court agreement that settled multiple lawsuits against tobacco companies doesn't explicitly mandate that the money be used for tobacco control.

Read more: http://www.southbendtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081201/News01/812010258