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Current Status: Despite receiving $244.7 million in tobacco taxes and tobacco settlement revenue this year, Missouri is once again spending nothing on tobacco prevention. The annual settlement payment in FY2007 went to the general fund with a portion dedicated to life science research.

On November 7, 2006, Missouri voters narrowly rejected a ballot initiative to increase the state cigarette tax by 80 cents a pack and double the tax on other tobacco products. The initiative would have given Missouri one of the best-funded prevention programs in the country. Instead, Missouri remains last in the nation in funding tobacco prevention and cessation programs.

Background: In 2001, the Missouri Legislature passed and then-Governor Holden signed into law legislation that appropriated Missouri's tobacco settlement payments through FY2002. The legislation included $22.2 million for a comprehensive, statewide, CDC-based tobacco prevention and cessation program under the state's Department of Health. A variety of other health related programs would have also received settlement funding.

In the spring of 2002, Governor Holden cut all funding designated to the tobacco prevention program as part of an effort to address the state's budget shortfall, eliminating the program before it could start. Tobacco prevention was the only program completely eliminated to balance the state budget.

In FY2003 through FY2005, Missouri appropriated no funding for tobacco prevention. As a result of these actions, Missouri to date has spent none of its tobacco settlement funds on tobacco prevention.

The annual settlement payment in FY2004 went to the general fund, health care programs, and prescription drug programs for senior citizens. Also in FY2004, the Legislature passed a settlement carve-out to fund life-science business development in the state.

Both the FY2005 and FY 2006 annual settlement payments went to the state's general fund with a portion specifically dedicated to life science research.

*Note: Missouri was also part of a separately negotiated settlement with the tobacco industry that provides a total of $5.15 billion to the National Tobacco Growers Settlement Trust Agreement. This settlement, called Phase 2, additionally provides up to $21.6 million over 12 years directly to Missouri tobacco growers.


The Toll of Tobacco in Missouri

Tobacco Use in Missouri

Nationwide, youth smoking has declined dramatically since the mid-1990s, but that decline appears to have slowed considerably or even stopped in recent years. The 2005 Youth Risk Behavior Survey found that the percentage of high school students reporting that they have smoked cigarettes in the past month increased to 23 percent in 2005 from 21.9 percent in 2003. This increase follows a 40 percent decline between 1997, when rates peaked at 36.4 percent, and 2003. The survey also found that 13.6 percent of high school males use spit tobacco. U.S. adult smoking has decreased gradually in the last several decades, and 20.9 percent of U.S. adults (about 45 million) currently smoke.

Deaths in Missouri From Smoking

Smoking kills more people than alcohol, AIDS, car crashes, illegal drugs, murders, and suicides combined -- and thousands more die from other tobacco-related causes -- such as fires caused by smoking (more than 1,000 deaths/year nationwide) and smokeless tobacco use. No good estimates are currently available, however, for the number of Missouri citizens who die from these other tobacco-related causes, or for the much larger numbers who suffer from tobacco-related health problems each year without actually dying.

Smoking-Caused Monetary Costs in Missouri

Amounts do not include health costs caused by exposure to secondhand smoke, smoking-caused fires, spit tobacco use, or cigar and pipe smoking. Other non-health costs from tobacco use include residential and commercial property losses from smoking-caused fires (more than $500 million per year nationwide); extra cleaning and maintenance costs made necessary by tobacco smoke and litter (about $4+ billion nationwide for commercial establishments alone); and additional productivity losses from smoking-caused work absences, smoking breaks, and on-the-job performance declines and early termination of employment caused by smoking-caused disability or illness (dollar amount listed above is just from productive work lives shortened by smoking-caused death).

Tobacco Industry Influence in Missouri

Published research studies have found that kids are twice as sensitive to tobacco advertising than adults and are more likely to be influenced to smoke by cigarette marketing than by peer pressure, and that one-third of underage experimentation with smoking is attributable to tobacco company advertising.

More detailed fact sheets on tobacco's toll in each state are available by emailing factsheets@tobaccofreekids.org

Kansas Tobacco Facts
Updated: December 6, 2006

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