U.S. State and Local Issues

Spending on Tobacco Prevention: Oklahoma

Last updated November 29, 2011

  FY2012 FY2011
State Rank 7 8
State Spending on Tobacco Prevention $21.2 million $21.7 million
% of CDC Recommended Spending
($45.0 million)		 47.1% 48.2%

Summary: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that Oklahoma spend $45.0 million a year to have an effective, comprehensive tobacco prevention program.  Oklahoma currently allocates $21.2 million a year for tobacco prevention and cessation.  This is 47.1% of the CDC’s recommendation and ranks Oklahoma 7th among the states in the funding of tobacco prevention programs.  Oklahoma’s spending on tobacco prevention amounts to 5.9% of the estimated $357 million in tobacco-generated revenue the state collects each year from settlement payments and tobacco taxes.

Recent Developments: Oklahoma's tobacco settlement funds are governed by a constitutional amendment which establishes a Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET). Under the measure, the amount of tobacco settlement payments deposited into the endowment, from which only interest can be spent on certain broadly specified programs including health, education and tobacco prevention, increased from 50 percent in 2001 to 75 percent in 2007 and each year thereafter. The TSET Board of Directors determines how to allocate all earnings from the endowment. The legislature appropriates the remaining 25 percent of settlement payments.

Total state spending on tobacco prevention and cessation for FY2012 will be $21.2 million. The total includes $18.6 million from the Oklahoma Settlement Endowment Trust, $2 million in state tobacco excise taxes, and $600,000 from the general fund.

In addition, Oklahoma is receiving $1.7 million in federal funds dedicated to tobacco prevention and control:

  • $1.3 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).

  • $97,707 from the Prevention and Public Health Fund in the new health care reform law. 

  • $268,629 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.