The Blog

Mary Selecky

11/25/08

This week is the 10th anniversary of the landmark legal settlement between the states and big tobacco companies. Gov. Gregoire, who was state attorney general at the time, was one of the lead negotiators.

Washington is one of the few states to commit most of the settlement funds to improving health. We set aside $100 million from the settlement for tobacco prevention and control. It’s been money well spent. In 2000, we kicked off a comprehensive program that included a toll-free Tobacco Quit Line, funding for programs in schools and in every county, and a public awareness campaign to make sure people know the truth about tobacco use.

And it’s working. In fact, the results have been tremendous. Adult smoking in Washington is down by about 25 percent and youth smoking is down by about half.

I had the honor this week of celebrating the tobacco settlement at an assembly at Bush Middle School in Tumwater. Gov. Gregoire and I were joined by Attorney General Rob McKenna  to talk to students there about the dangers of tobacco use. When we asked the kids if they knew who “Joe Camel” was, almost none did. When we asked them if they’d heard of our anti-tobacco campaign called NoStankYou, hands went up around the gym.

As long as the tobacco companies keep spending millions to attract new smokers, we’ll have work to do. Yet it’s clear we’re making a difference.