Funding loss leaves anti-tobacco programs in limbo

By Alison Kemp

YOUNGSTOWN — Ohio’s anti-tobacco programming was as close to a model program as can be, said city Health Commissioner Matthew Stefanak.

“Now, it’s gone to the bottom,” he said. “It’s very disheartening.”

Ten years ago, Ohio was one of 46 states to receive a share of $260 billion in payments from tobacco companies. About half of the money Ohio received was budgeted for school construction projects. The remainder was to support anti-smoking programs sponsored by the Ohio Tobacco Prevention Foundation.

On April 2, however, Gov. Ted Strickland and the state Legislature decided to take $230 million from the OTPF’s $267 million endowment to fund a jobs development program. This is being contested in court in Columbus.

“There’s an outside chance the courts could say the funding is returned,” Stefanak said. But he and Heather Krause, the community health education specialist, are pretty confident the deal is done.

With the decrease in support dollars, Stefanak and Krause are not sure how programs will be funded, or if they will even continue to exist.