Sioux City - Attorney General Tom Miller today told an audience of law enforcement officials, health professionals, community activists and youth that the state's tobacco prevention campaign is beginning to work but that the program would be jeopardized by cutting the budget. In January, Miller urged the governor and legislature to allocate at least as much of the tobacco settlement money to the program next year. A thousand children take up tobacco every month in Iowa, and five thousand Iowans die premature deaths each year because of tobacco. Reducing this costly death toll is the rationale for the state program. The enforcement effort also includes sanctions against minors who use or possess tobacco.
Work is under way to establish partnerships in the remaining four counties.
The community partnerships consist of local business, health, civic and law enforcement agencies, as well as concerned parents and youth. The partnerships organize and participate in programs to discourage youth smoking, assist pregnant women in quitting smoking and educate the general public as to the dangers of tobacco use. The statewide counter-marketing campaign is in full swing. Ten different television commercials including two featuring Iowa youth are currently airing all across the state. In addition, the media campaign includes radio spots, billboards and newspaper ads.