U.S. State and Local Issues

Spending on Tobacco Prevention: Ohio

Last updated November 29, 2011

  FY2012 FY2011
State Rank 50 51
State Spending on Tobacco Prevention $0 $0
% of CDC Recommended Spending
($145.0 million)		 0.0% 0.0%

Summary: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that Ohio spend $145.0 million a year to have an effective, comprehensive tobacco prevention program.  Ohio currently allocates $0.0 a year for tobacco prevention and cessation.  This is 0.0% of the CDC’s recommendation and ranks Ohio 50th among the states in the funding of tobacco prevention programs.  Ohio’s spending on tobacco prevention amounts to 0.0% of the estimated $1.2 billion in tobacco-generated revenue the state collects each year from settlement payments and tobacco taxes.

Recent Developments: After a series of lawsuits and political maneuvers that finally abolished a foundation meant to receive settlement funds and be spent on tobacco prevention and cessation, Ohio will spend no state money on these programs in FY2012. In FY 2011, approximately $2.3 million was still in the tobacco control program’s account. These funds were transferred to the Department of Health’s Environmental Health program for the enforcement of the Smoke-Free Work Place Act.  Since funding for the state tobacco control program was cut dramatically in 2009, Ohio’s adult smoking rate has increased – from 20.2 percent in 2008 to 22.5 percent in 2010.

Ohio is receiving $2.4 million in federal funds dedicated to tobacco prevention and control:

  • $1.4 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).

  • $154,966 from the Prevention and Public Health Fund in the new health care reform law. 

  • $844,975 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.