Clear the Air

Governor Manchin’s budget proposal to the West Virginia Legislature contains current level funding for tobacco prevention and education programming of $5,687,358. The budget was presented in last night’s State of the State address.

While encouraging that this important area of public health funding is remaining stable in the Governor’s proposed budget it falls very short of the $27.8 million recommended by the Center’s for Disease Control and Prevention in Best Practices for Comprehensive Tobacco Control Programs—2007. West Virginia has made great strides in tobacco control, with very limited resources, but an investment closer to CDC’s recommended funding level would enable statewide implementation of the full range and scope of prevention, education, cessation and enforcement programs which have been proven effective.

Tags: CDC, funding, tobacco control, West Virginia Legislature

In a report released in January the U.S. Centers for Disease and Prevention found West Virginia’s death rate from smoking was second in the nation following Kentucky.

In West Virginia, the rate was 344 deaths per 100,000. Kentucky lead the nation at 371 deaths per 100,000. The national average was pegged at 263 per 100,000.

The lowest death rates were in Utah and Hawaii.

The CDC calculated these rates using death certificate death certificate data from the years 2000 through 2004, focusing on lung cancer, cardiovascular disease and 17 other disease caused by cigarette smoking.

Tags: CDC, data, tobacco, West Virginia