U.S. State and Local Issues

Spending on Tobacco Prevention: Idaho

Last updated December 04, 2012

Summary: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that Idaho spend $16.9 million a year to have an effective, comprehensive tobacco prevention program.  Idaho currently allocates $2.2 million a year for tobacco prevention and cessation.  This is 13.0% of the CDC’s recommendation and ranks Idaho 25th among the states in the funding of tobacco prevention programs.  Idaho’s spending on tobacco prevention amounts to 3.0% of the estimated $74 million in tobacco-generated revenue the state collects each year from settlement payments and tobacco taxes.

Background and Recent Developments: For FY2013, Idaho appropriated a total of $2.2 million to its tobacco prevention and cessation programs—more than twice the amount spent in FY2012.

Of the $2.2 million, $2 million comes from the Idaho Millenium Fund and will be spent on QuitNet and QuitLine services (including provision of Nicotine Replacement Therapy), as well as counter-marketing activities. This is the highest level of funding ever awarded by the Millenium Fund committee. The remaining $200,000 comes from Idaho’s Cancer Control Account, which is funded by state cigarette tax revenues. This is a slight decrease from the $230,000 received in recent years.

The Millenium Fund is a repository of funds received by Idaho under the Master Settlement Agreement. With establishment of the Millenium Permanent Endowment Fund in 2007, 80 percent of all receipts received by the state will be distributed to the Permanent Endowment Fund; 20 percent of receipts will be distributed to the traditional Millenium Fund. These funds are managed and invested by the State Treasurer. Each year, 5 percent of the fair market value of the permanent and traditional Millenium Funds are distributed to the Idaho Millennium Income Fund and made available for legislative appropriation. Legislators can appropriate funds to the following three areas: tobacco prevention and cessation, chronic disease resulting from smoking, and substance abuse and health.

In addition, Idaho is receiving $2.0 million in federal funds dedicated to tobacco prevention and control:

• $1.1 million from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in a 12-month grant for the period beginning April 2012 (from annual appropriations).

• $93,470 from the Prevention and Public Health Fund in the new health care reform law for the period beginning August 1, 2012. 

• $808,112 from the Food and Drug Administration for enforcement of the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, including the provision regarding tobacco sales to minors.