U.S. State and Local Issues

Spending on Tobacco Prevention: Texas

Last updated December 05, 2012

  FY2013 FY2012
State Rank 41 39
State Spending on Tobacco Prevention $6.5 million $5.5 million
% of CDC Recommended Spending
($266.3 million)		 2.4% 2.0%

Summary: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that Texas spend $266.3 million a year to have an effective, comprehensive tobacco prevention program.  Texas currently allocates $6.5 million a year for tobacco prevention and cessation.  This is 2.4% of the CDC’s recommendation and ranks Texas 41st among the states in the funding of tobacco prevention programs.  Texas’s spending on tobacco prevention amounts to 0.4% of the estimated $1.8 billion in tobacco-generated revenue the state collects each year from settlement payments and tobacco taxes.

Background and Recent Developments: A 1999 law requires that all tobacco settlement payments be placed into several permanent endowments earmarked for a range of health and education programs. As Texas receives new funds as part of its settlement with the tobacco industry, the money is appropriated by the legislature on a biennial basis.

The state budget for FY2013 appropriated $6.5 million from the tobacco settlement to tobacco prevention.  Although this is an increase from what was spent in FY2012, it is half of what was spent on tobacco prevention in FY2010 and FY2011.

In addition, Texas is receiving $4.4 million in federal funds dedicated to tobacco prevention and control:

  • $1.8 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).

  • $1.5 million from the Prevention and Public Health Fund in the new health care reform law for the period beginning August 1, 2012. 

  • $1.0 million 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.