Missouri Governor Blunt Recommends $11.6 Million to Help Missourians Quit Smoking

Governor Announces State's First Comprehensive Smoking Cessation Initiative

January 8, 2008 -- ST. LOUIS - Missouri Governor Matt Blunt today announced he will recommend an unprecedented $11.6 million to help Missourians quit smoking and prevent young people from getting hooked on tobacco. Gov. Blunt is recommending a 50 fold increase to create the state’s first comprehensive smoking cessation initiative as part of his plan to improve Missourians’ health, enhance health care services for low-income Missourians and support ongoing access to care for the nearly 830,000 Missourians served by Mo HealthNet.

“Many Missourians want to improve their health and quality of life by quitting smoking and our plan will provide comprehensive assistance to help them achieve this goal,” Gov. Blunt said. “This unprecedented investment will significantly enhance our tobacco cessation and prevention efforts by helping more Missourians make healthier lifestyle choices.”

Gov. Blunt’s budget recommendation for tobacco cessation will work towards decreases in tobacco-related deaths and disabilities. In addition it will save taxpayers money by helping to decrease health care costs. The governor’s comprehensive plan includes:

* $8,642,000 to create a new smoking cessation initiative within Mo HealthNet

* $2 million for tobacco prevention programs for young people

* $1 million for the Missouri Tobacco Quitline

Each year more than 10,000 Missourians die from tobacco-related diseases, making tobacco use the single greatest cause of preventable disease and premature death. Additionally, an estimated 1,150 individuals in Missouri die each year from illnesses due to exposure to secondhand smoke. Tobacco use results in devastating consequences for Missourians and the state.

Gov. Blunt is the first governor ever to use funds from the tobacco settlement to support tobacco cessation efforts. Last year the governor secured $200,000 to help Missourians improve their health and has recommended funding to reduce tobacco use in Missouri every year he has been in office.

Gov. Blunt is committed to helping current smokers kick the habit and prevent young people from starting. Among those who smoke, 61.9 percent of high school students and 47.2 percent of adults tried to quit at least one time in the past year. One of the things Missourians can do to improve their health is to make lifestyle changes that will help prevent chronic conditions. The addition of coverage for smoking cessation within the Mo HealthNet program is an investment to help participants lead healthier lives.

“Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death in Missouri and is a major risk factor for chronic diseases such as asthma, heart disease and many types of cancer. By preventing individuals from starting to smoke and helping others quit smoking, we will reduce chronic diseases and ultimately save Missouri lives,” said Jane Drummond, director of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.

“I am pleased that Gov. Blunt is directly addressing this critical public health challenge. Support for smoking cessation will provide a tested, proven means of reducing the deadly consequences of tobacco addiction for thousands of Mo HealthNet participants,” said Dr. Ian McCaslin, Mo HealthNet Director.

Gov. Blunt’s plan to create a new smoking cessation initiative within Mo HealthNet is particularly important because Missouri never had a comprehensive smoking cessation program under the old, broken Medicaid system. Gov. Blunt, with support from the General Assembly, created an entirely new health care system for low-income Missourians that focuses on health, wellness and prevention instead of only sickness.

“The old system was so bad that Medicaid was paying for Viagra for sex offenders - Mo HealthNet is a better system that focuses on wellness and prevention,” Gov. Blunt said. “Mo HealthNet includes our state’s first comprehensive smoking cessation initiative strengthening our commitment to wellness and prevention.”

In 2005 Gov. Blunt unveiled the Missouri Tobacco Quitline, 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669), to provide free telephone coaching and other assistance to Missourians wanting to quit using tobacco. Professional coaches work with callers to develop a plan to help them quit tobacco. Callers are also provided with a “quit kit” containing information to help them stop smoking. For more information about tobacco prevention programs visit http://www.dhss.mo.gov/SmokingAndTobacco/.

In addition to funding increases to support tobacco cessation, when taken together all the governor’s recommendations to support health care in Fiscal Year 2009 will total at least $7.2 billion.

Gov. Blunt understands health care is among the top concerns for Missourians and he has worked to transform health care in Missouri. In addition to important changes to Mo HealthNet, the governor’s Insure Missouri program will use existing resources to expand access to coverage to nearly 200,000 Missourians who are yet to be covered. Gov. Blunt implemented these valuable changes without increasing taxes on Missourians. In addition proactive and responsible budgeting allowed the governor to cut taxes on health care expenses for Missouri families.

Source: Missouri Governor

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