Harrisburg, PA – October 26, 2017 – The following statement can be attributed to Diane Phillips, director of government relations in Pennsylvania for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network.
“ACS CAN is dismayed that the legislature decided to take out a bond against future proceeds owed to Pennsylvania from the 1998 national tobacco settlement also known as the Master Settlement Agreement. The programs funded by the settlement focus on health and include tobacco prevention and cessation services. How will these programs be funded going forward?
“Pennsylvania receives Master Settlement Agreement funds from the tobacco industry to compensate the state for the harm caused by tobacco use. Tobacco prevention is one of the smartest and most fiscally responsible investments that Pennsylvania can make. It not only helps current people who quit, but also prevents our youth from ever starting a lifetime of addiction to tobacco.
“This year alone, 22,000 Pennsylvania adults will die from their own smoking and 6,700 kids will become new daily smokers. Now was not the time to cut funding, reduce efforts or ignore the tobacco problem that plagues Pennsylvanians.
“ACS CAN calls on Governor Wolf to protect the health of Pennsylvanians by vetoing the bonding of the Master Settlement Agreement funds.”
About ACS CAN
ACS CAN, the nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate of the American Cancer Society, supports evidence-based policy and legislative solutions designed to eliminate cancer as a major health problem. ACS CAN works to encourage elected officials and candidates to make cancer a top national priority. ACS CAN gives ordinary people extraordinary power to fight cancer with the training and tools they need to make their voices heard. For more information, visit www.fightcancer.org.
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