Statement on Results From a Florida Youth Antismoking Program

Today the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is publishing promising new results from the youth antismoking program launched by the late Florida Governor Lawton Chiles. The study shows that in just one year, smoking has declined by 19 percent among middle school students and by 8 percent among high schoolers. These results show why every State should have a comprehensive program to reduce youth smoking and why I oppose any legislation waiving the Federal Government's claim to tobacco settlement funds without making a commitment from the States to fund such efforts. Without such a commitment, States won't have to spend a single penny of the $246 billion settlement to reduce youth smoking. We must act now: Every day 3,000 children become regular smokers, and 1,000 will have their lives cut short as a result.