Colorado ranks third in the nation in state funding for programs that encourage kids to avoid tobacco, according to a report released Wednesday by a coalition of public health organizations.
The state spends $26 million a year on tobacco programs, surpassing the $24.5 million recommendation of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Only Maine and Delaware also fund tobacco prevention programs at or above the CDC’s recommended minimum, according to the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, American Heart Association, American Lung Association and American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network.
Tobacco companies spend about $189 million a year marketing in Colorado, more than seven times what the state spends on tobacco prevention, the associations reported. About 18 percent of teenagers and 19 percent of adults in Colorado smoke — both figures lower than the national average of 23 percent for teens and 21 percent for adults, according to Tobacco-Free Kids.
Katy Human, The Denver Post
