Floridians for Youth Tobacco Education Inc

Floridians for Youth Tobacco Education Inc, a fun title for a fun new non-profit....

This is an issue that I think might be close to the heart of the LCYDs. Several of our LCYD members cut their teeth in the anti-tobacco world, fighting corporate Big Tobacco. Our local president, Alan Brock, got brought into the world of Democratic Politics as a teen spokesperson for Governor Chiles' anti-tobacco efforts.

The state of Florida gets almost $900 million a year from tobacco revenue between settlement and tax dollars, but our legislature in its infinite wisdom has seen fit to only allocate 1 million dollars to tobacco prevention, cessation and education. After years of lobbying or legislature the Tri-agencies (American Heart, American Lung, and the Cancer Society) working with Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids have decided to take the issue to the people of Florida.

That is right another ballot initiative. The Tobacco Lobby is very strong in our state, Big tobacco spends more money advertising their products in Florida then any other state in the Union, there were several parties this past legislative session sponsored by Altria including the much anticipated annual AIF Party that kicks off session.

It goes against Big Tobacco to have a strong anti-tobacco program. Florida's program, which was once the model for the world, and which the national 'truth' campaign was based off of, has been effectively left for dead. Governor Bush, although often publicly stating his support for a well funded anti-tobacco program, has done nothing to help make this program the priority that he says that it should be. Our state does not lack the funds for a program. The ballot initiative will state that 15% of the settlement dollars go to and prevention program. This solution is one that the people of Florida full heartedly endorse.

The citizen initiativeprocess is there to help the people combat special interest. I look forward to discussing this issue further at one of our upcoming LCYD meetings.