U.S. State and Local Issues

Spending on Tobacco Prevention: Tennessee

Last updated November 29, 2011

  FY2012 FY2011
State Rank 44 47
State Spending on Tobacco Prevention $200,000 $222,268
% of CDC Recommended Spending
($71.7 million)		 0.3% 0.3%

Summary: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that Tennessee spend $71.7 million a year to have an effective, comprehensive tobacco prevention program.  Tennessee currently allocates $200,000 a year for tobacco prevention and cessation.  This is 0.3% of the CDC’s recommendation and ranks Tennessee 44th among the states in the funding of tobacco prevention programs.  Tennessee’s spending on tobacco prevention amounts to 0.0% of the estimated $432 million in tobacco-generated revenue the state collects each year from settlement payments and tobacco taxes.

Recent Developments: Tennessee did not dedicate state funds to tobacco prevention until FY2008, when the budget passed by the legislature and signed by Governor Phil Bredesen (D) allocated $10 million for tobacco prevention programs. However, due to a budget crisis, state funding for tobacco prevention was cut in half to $5 million for FY2009.  In FY2012, $200,000 will be spent on tobacco control, about the same amount that was spent in FY2011. Tennessee should be commended, however, for funding smoking cessation benefits for Medicaid recipients.

In addition, Tennessee is receiving $1.6 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).

  • $116,726 from the Prevention and Public Health Fund in the new health care reform law. 

  • $245,561 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.