Ohio’s Road to Tobacco Freedom December 2, 2004 by Mike Renner Ohio TUPCF Executive Director

What Tobacco Does to Us 440,000 Americans die each year from disease caused by tobacco In Ohio, 52 each day Every pack of cigarettes purchased has an economic cost of $40. –$33 to the smoker –$5.44 to the smoker’s family –$1.44 to Society (after taxes) Ohio health care costs, about $3.4 Billion per year

What’s Deadly? Annually, 400,000 tobacco users die Annually, 53,000 non tobacco users die from disease caused by second hand smoke

The Tobacco Fight With this devastation, Ohio joined about 25 other states in suing the tobacco industry in 1997 After nearly two years of litigation and one previous unsuccessful settlement attempt, Ohio helped finalize the Master Settlement Agreement at the end of 1998.

Damages Like other lawsuits, this one was settled in a manner designed to correct the damage which was the reason for the lawsuit. Industry to correct some of its conduct Industry to pay damages so Ohio could fix the problems identified in the lawsuit. Ohio to receive roughly $400,000,000 per year.

Budget Deficits Several years after the MSA, the national economy threw all states into budget deficits $350 Million originally scheduled to be used by Ohio for tobacco use reduction, was instead used to close the state budget gap Ohio at risk to not clean up the mess that tobacco caused and which the lawsuit fought

Endowment Ohio, unlike any other state, used an endowment concept Diverted funds didn’t restrict Ohio’s ability to deal with tobacco use, it has restricted the duration of time Ohio will be able to run tobacco reduction programs. Unless Ohio resumes investing MSA dollars into tobacco reduction, Ohio programming will cease in 7 to 10 years.

Make a Difference For whatever duration the Foundation exists, it will offer Ohioans programs to reduce tobacco use and the severe consequences of it.

Strategy Help tobacco users to quit Create conditions which protect non tobacco users from deadly effects of Secondhand Smoke.

Cessation Two-thirds of Ohio smokers think they would be successful if they decided to quit. Only one-fifth of Ohioans who tried to quit in the last year were successful. Quitting is harder than smokers think it will be. Encouraging: Almost half of the insured smokers in Ohio tried to quit last year.

Cessation

Without help, Cold Turkey success rate is about 4% With Quit Line counseling support, success rate is a little more than 29% By adding NRT to counseling, can increase the success rate significantly

Ohio Tobacco Quit Line QUIT NOW 5 pro active counseling sessions $4.5 Million marketing effort Target = 100 intake calls per day Non traditional marketing –Events –Health Care Professionals –Employers –NRT

Strategy Help tobacco users to quit Create conditions which protect non tobacco users from deadly effects of Secondhand Smoke.

Second Hand Smoke No debate over health –Even industry and bar owners concede harmful to health Debate over loss of business Debate over right to choose conduct

Loss of Business Studies across America find no effect Toledo study –Compared Toledo after ordinance with Youngstown at same time frame –Compared Toledo with Toledo’s suburbs –Found no measurable economic stress differences

Freedom to Choose The argument: If I own a business and I operate it on property that I own, and if I want to allow smoking on my business premises, and my patrons want it, no meddling, do-gooder, government should have the right to tell me how to run my business. It’s another erosion of basic American freedoms and rights.

Freedom to Choose Another instance of government intrusion Sign we are headed toward socialism Our Founding Fathers would be rolling over in their graves

Constitutional History 1789 in Philadelphia –Founding fathers drafted our constitution 1789 in Philadelphia –Mayor of Philadelphia eliminated all commerce with New York City Cities have, from the beginning of our Republic, taken action to protect the general health of the community

Hypothetical Bar History “If I own the property, I ought to be able to run my business the way I want.” Has that been the bar owner’s experience?

Side Effects of Clean Indoor Air Ordinance Prevention Cessation/relapse

Challenge! It’s in front of Cleveland now. It’s in front of a number of Cleveland suburbs. The opportunity is now for Cleveland to take a stand. Get involved in the debate!

Amen Questions?