The American Lung Association flunks Kansas in its annual report card on smoking in three out of four categories. And the fourth was just a notch above an "F."
The group gave Kansas "F'' grades for money spent on educating current smokers; for the amount of smoke-fee air in the state; for a lack of state programs to help people quit smoking. Kansas won a "D'' for the 79-cent tax on each pack of cigarettes. The ALA thinks it should be more.
The report says tobacco use kills 3,900 Kansans a year, and almost 18 percent of Kansas adults smoke. The group also says smoke-related health problems cost Kansas $1.75 million annually.
The association says Kansas spends just over $2 million per year on tobacco control and prevention, while the Centers for Disease Control recommends spending $32 million.
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jayhawkerjoel (anonymous) says…
Where's Rob Reiner when you need him?!?!?!
Larzia (Jake Esau) says…
Pass the statewide smoking ban. Lawrence was ahead of the curve on this.
agl (anonymous) says…
Wait....we're supposed to spend $32 million to try and stop a $1.75 million problem?
xbusguy (chris Ogle) says…
Wait….we're supposed to spend $32 million to try and stop a $1.75 million problem?-------------------------------------At least we get a C in math.
cowboy (anonymous) says…
Kansas has received over 500 million in tobacco settlement monies. they have spent less than 7% of that on tobacco related issues. Why not build a regional smokers rehab centers with some of those funds and show some true concern. Anything coming out of the states mouth is simply cash mongering.I have always thought that a rehab center work work. Lock em up for a couple weeks , feed em well , work em out , help em get thru the worst period and give smokers a decent shot at quitting. get some of the cost underwritten by health insurance or charge on a sliding scale . I'd think the 1.75 million is a really low figure , but , on the flipside we all die of something and could cost the state money either way.
Thinking_Out_Loud (anonymous) says…
Let's give them an 'F' right back.THAT'LL teach'em something.
Danimal (anonymous) says…
Dumb! Dumb! Dumb! Dumb! Duuuuuuumb!Who cares, smoking is a personal choice, ban it in restaurants and be done with it. With all the enviro-crazies and the EPA harping on carbon emissions and green house gases it won't be long before farting is illegal.
spankyandcranky (anonymous) says…
Lazria, agl, xbusguy, cowboy, and keebler1rk all make good points. It seems unlikely that spending money on this issue is something Kathy Sebelius has on her agenda ... unless she plans on raising taxes on cigarettes. Unlikely. But even if she did, the money would probably go to something else.
Jaylee (anonymous) says…
hawk & agl,it also says 3900 Kansans die each year. i have no idea what the average funeral costs in Kansas, but it would take $7800 a funeral to even out the rest of that money.which seems like its way out of this world high but i have no idea.aside from that, if you look at how much less people would be spending on cigarettes every year if they were quitting.the 1.75 million seems to only be what the state claims to lose every year due to smoking related health costs.either way i could easily see 32 mil get dropped to help smokers quit. new facilities, employees, training, advertising, etc.
cowboy (anonymous) says…
Is hawk related to Emily Litella or what ? Nevermind....
Solomon (anonymous) says…
I would love to see someone add up all the deaths from "causes" of death noted by some governmental agency or special interest group like the ALA and compare it with the actual number of deaths in the state. I don't know, but I would bet some serious change that the total would exceed the total number of deaths in the state.
cowboy (anonymous) says…
I'm glad you esplained it to me , nevermind
jj024 (anonymous) says…
bunch of sheep is what they think we are. How much to people have to see before it they realize that it has nothing to do with health. It is all propaganda from the candy industry.