Dakotas Rank High In Funding Of Smoking Programs

BISMARCK, ND - North Dakota is ranked second in the nation and South Dakota eighth in the funding of programs to prevent youths from smoking and to help smokers quit.

The annual rankings were released Wednesday by a coalition of public health groups including the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and the American Cancer Society. The report says North Dakota spends $9.3 million a year on tobacco prevention and cessation programs, and South Dakota spends $4 million.

States overall will collect $25.6 billion in tobacco taxes and legal settlements from the tobacco industry this year but will spend less than 2 percent of it on programs to prevent or stop tobacco use. The report says North Dakota will spend about 14 percent of its tobacco money for those purposes, and South Dakota will spend about 5 percent.