Our work to fund Tobacco Free Florida is under attack! Earlier this month, the Finance and Taxation Committee of the Constitution Revision Commission (CRC) voted in favor of Proposal 94 to reallocate 20% of all future funding earmarked for the state’s Tobacco Free Florida program to cancer research. The proposal now heads to the full commission for a vote.
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Preventing Youth Smoking Must be Our #1 Goal
While funding cancer research is important, it is better to prevent cancer than undergo treatment. Tobacco use is linked to cancer, heart and lung diseases, and premature death. Preventing kids from ever trying their first cigarette must continue to be our number one our goal. Since Tobacco Free Florida launched in 2007, the state's youth smoking rate has decreased by more than 70% from 2006 to 2016. Amazing! And the state has a youth smoking rate well below the national average, despite the following factors:
- Florida is the third most populous state.
- For every dollar Tobacco Free Florida spends on preventing tobacco use, the tobacco industry spends approximately $8.70 in marketing their products in Florida. In fact, the tobacco industry spends nearly $559 million each year to market its products to Florida citizens, according to the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids.
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention consider the program under-funded. If funding is reduced, we will lose so much progress.
Find out more about why the American Heart Association and every public health organization agrees that it's a bad idea to raid Tobacco Free Florida funds for cancer research in this excellent Sun Sentinel op-ed by Maureen Mann, treasurer of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, and executive director of Lynn Cancer Institute and Lynn Women's Health and Wellness Institute in Boca Raton.
Next Steps
Starting February 6, the CRC will host five public hearings across the state; see below. The public is welcomed to attend the hearings and share their ideas for revising the Florida Constitution. After the public hearings conclude, the CRC will vote on which proposals make it to the November 8th ballot. The American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, American Lung Association, and other public health organizations are working hard to ensure Proposal 94 doesn't make it to the ballot box.
| City | Date | Time | Location |
| Fort Lauderdale | Tuesday, February 6 |
1:00 - 7:00 PM EST **We will meet at 6PM. |
Rick Case Arena at the Don Taft University Center 3301 College Avenue Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314 |
| Melbourne | Monday, February 19 | 1:00 - 7:00 PM EST | Eastern Florida State College Maxwell C. King Center 3865 North Wickham Road Melbourne, FL 32935 |
| Jacksonville | Tuesday, February 20 | 1:00 - 7:00 PM EST | University of North Florida Herbert University Center 12000 Alumni Drive Jacksonville, FL 32224 |
| Pensacola | Tuesday, February 27 | 1:00 - 7:00 PM EST | University of West Florida Conference Center & Ballroom 11000 University Parkway, Building 22 Pensacola, FL 32514 |
| St. Petersburg | Tuesday, March 13 | 1:00 - 7:00 PM EST | University of South Florida - St. Petersburg University Student Center 200 6th Ave S St. Petersburg, FL 33701 |
Last updated January 29, 2018.
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