Summary: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that West Virginia spend $27.8 million a year to have an effective, comprehensive tobacco prevention program.  West Virginia currently receives $6.7 million a year for tobacco prevention and cessation, which includes both state and federal funds.  This is 24.1% of the CDC's recommendation and ranks West Virginia 25th among the states in the funding of tobacco prevention programs.  West Virginia's spending on tobacco prevention amounts to 3.7% of the estimated $182 million in tobacco-generated revenue the state collects each year from settlement payments and tobacco taxes.

Recent Developments: Prior to FY2008, West Virginia's settlement payments were governed by a 1999 law that divided the settlement evenly into two funds: the West Virginia Medical Trust Fund Endowment and the West Virginia Tobacco Settlement Fund. However, FY2008 marked the first time tobacco prevention funds were allocated from the general fund rather than directly from West Virginia's MSA funds. West Virginia's MSA funds were securitized last year to retire some of the state's debt. Because of that, all future tobacco prevention funding will depend upon the Legislature's willingness to allocate funds in the budget.

For FY2009, West Virginia will receive $6.7 million in federal and state funds for tobacco prevention programs, approximately the same amount received for FY2008.