U.S. State and Local Issues

Spending on Tobacco Prevention: West Virginia

Last updated December 05, 2012

  FY2013 FY2012
State Rank 19 18
State Spending on Tobacco Prevention $5.7 million $5.7 million
% of CDC Recommended Spending
($27.8 million)		 20.5% 20.3%

Summary: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that West Virginia spend $27.8 million a year to have an effective, comprehensive tobacco prevention program.  West Virginia currently allocates $5.7 million a year for tobacco prevention and cessation.  This is 20.5% of the CDC’s recommendation and ranks West Virginia 19th among the states in the funding of tobacco prevention programs.  West Virginia’s spending on tobacco prevention amounts to 2.5% of the estimated $231 million in tobacco-generated revenue the state collects each year from settlement payments and tobacco taxes.

Background and Recent Developments: West Virginia appropriated $5.7 million for tobacco prevention and cessation programs in FY2013.This spending level has been steady since FY2008 but still represents only slightly more than 20 percent of the CDC-recommended amount. West Virginia currently has the second highest adult smoking rate in the country.

Prior to FY2008, West Virginia’s settlement payments were governed by a 1999 law that divided the settlement evenly into two funds: the West Virginia Medical Trust Fund Endowment and the West Virginia Tobacco Settlement Fund. Beginning in FY2008, tobacco prevention funds were allocated from the general fund rather than directly from West Virginia’s settlement funds. West Virginia’s settlement funds were converted into securities that year to retire some of the state’s debt. Because of this change, all future tobacco prevention funding depends upon the legislature’s willingness to allocate funds in the budget.

In addition, West Virginia is receiving $2.1 million in federal funds dedicated to tobacco prevention and control:

  • $1.2 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).

  • $205,763 from the Prevention and Public Health Fund in the new health care reform law for the period beginning August 1, 2012. 

  • $755,618 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.