Utah State Tobacco Prevention and Control Dwindling

I know this is not the usual topic of our blog here, but please bear with us.

Quote: 
“We need your support to continue to make strides in tobacco prevention and promotion in Utah. With a plan to pretty much gut the Utah Department of Health’s Health and Promotions Bureau, the Health and Human Services Executive Appropriations Committee needs you to tell them that they are off their rockers. 

As per yesterday’s Health and Human Services (HHS) Base Budget recommendations (http://www.le.state.ut.us/asp/interim/Commit.asp?Yea
r=2009&Com=APPHHS), Utah’s Tobacco Prevention and Control Program may be eliminated in FY09, FY10, and beyond. 

FY09 cuts: $4,049,800 (will flatline all programs this year to accomodate)
FY10 cuts: $7,167,300 (eliminates all State funding for tobacco prevention)

ACTION IS NEEDED IMMEDIATELY. Vote was set for Friday but I have heard it has been postponed. Executive Appropriations will vote on the budgets above. 
Here are reasons we need tobacco prevention and control:

1. It saves lives - smoking is the #1 preventable cause of death.
2. Smoking costs taxpayers millions of dollars each year.
3. Prevention and cessation programs are proven to work and Utah has been effective in reducing the number of smokers.
4. Other states who have cut tobacco spending, like Florida, Minnesota and California at times to help balance budgets, quickly saw youth smoking rates increase.

Act quickly to let your voice be heard. Phone is better than email as legislators may not access email before tomorrow.”

 Follow the link to the Source for a list of Reps if you wish. (Source)