U.S. State and Local Issues

Spending on Tobacco Prevention: Louisiana

  FY2012 FY2011
State Rank 22 24
State Spending on Tobacco Prevention $8.4 million $9 million
% of CDC Recommended Spending
($53.5 million)		 15.8% 16.9%

Summary: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that Louisiana spend $53.5 million a year to have an effective, comprehensive tobacco prevention program. Louisiana currently allocates $8.4 million a year for tobacco prevention and cessation. This is 15.8% of the CDC’s recommendation and ranks Louisiana 22nd among the states in the funding of tobacco prevention programs. Louisiana’s spending on tobacco prevention amounts to 2.9% of the estimated $295 million in tobacco-generated revenue the state collects each year from settlement payments and tobacco taxes.

Recent Developments: In 2002, the Legislature passed and then-Governor Mike Foster (R) signed into law a 12-cent per pack increase in the state cigarette tax, to 36 cents a pack. Two cents of the tax on each pack is dedicated to a Cancer Consortium, comprised of Tulane University and Louisiana State University, for tobacco prevention and cessation programs. Revenue generated from the tax will automatically flow to the consortium every year, unless the law is changed by the Legislature.

Total state spending on tobacco prevention and cessation for FY2012 will be $8.4 million, slightly less than what was spent in FY2011. MSA Settlement expenditures totaling $500,000 will go to the state tobacco control program, and $7,930,319 received from state tobacco taxes will go to the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Living.

In addition, Louisiana is receiving $1.8 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 2011 (from annual appropriations).

  • $103,575 from the Prevention and Public Health Fund in the new health care reform law.

  • $583,007 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.