Each year in our State of the State's Health reports, we have identified nicotine addiction as the leading contributor to premature death in Oklahoma. However, progress is being made in developing statewide, comprehensive, evidence-based tobacco use prevention programs.
Federal funding supports tobacco use prevention activities.
The Oklahoma State Department of Health was successful in applying for additional funding from the American Legacy Foundation, and the State Legislature provided funds from the national tobacco settlement. However, the most significant advance in Oklahoma's tobacco use prevention efforts was the overwhelming passage of State Question 692 by the people of Oklahoma, which placed tobacco lawsuit settlement funds into a trust. We urge that board members of the trust use these funds to support those prevention efforts which have been demonstrated to be effective. As previously noted, Oklahoma ranks very high in the number of abused and neglected children. The Oklahoma State Legislature has funded a statewide program called Children First to help break the cycle of abuse and neglect among Oklahoma's most precious resource.