In an effort to keep Utahns safe and healthy, Governor Mike Leavitt today unveiled his proposal for Utah's tobacco settlement funds. With the tobacco settlement money, Leavitt is targeting young people, youth and adult offenders and public assistance cash recipients. His goal is to cut the rate of tobacco use and substance abuse in half in these populations by 2010. One of the ways Governor Leavitt is proposing to reach this goal is through expansion of the drug court program statewide.
Drug courts provide an alternative to prison for criminal drug offenders.
Of 150 offenders who have completed the Third District drug court program in Salt Lake County, to date 95 percent have remained free of new drug charges. Similarly the governor is recommending a pilot program under the jurisdiction of the Board of Pardons and Parole to reduce recidivism among drug addicted parolees. Governor Leavitt today proposed a list of areas where he is comfortable spending this money including creating a trust fund, Medicaid, drug courts, tobacco prevention and cessation, DUI enforcement and other programs. Governor Leavitt also said he would support replacing the Hospital Assessment Tax with tobacco settlement money to fund the Children's Health Insurance Program. Last session, the Legislature passed a measure that would have allowed for this to happen.