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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4266515/
Conclusions
This is one of the first studies to investigate the relationship between MSA payments and state tobacco control environments across all states within the U.S. over time. While previous literature has examined variations across time for a single state, or variation across states for a single point in time, no study (to our knowledge) has analyzed how usage of MSA funding in all states have affected the tobacco control environment in each state. This study contributes as a first step in filling that gap in the literature.
We find that higher MSA payments are associated with weaker tobacco control environments across states. Our analysis also indicated that states with higher proportion of older individuals were less likely to have stronger tobacco control environments, while states with larger proportions of minority populations were more likely to have stronger tobacco control environments.
The results of state tobacco control environment, and the fate of MSA spending to date, can be explained largely by the realities of health policy making within states. While MSA payments received by states could be seen as funds that must be allocated towards tobacco control activities by tobacco control policy makers, state legislatures may not share the same point of view and could decide to divert those MSA funds towards other activities such as building bridges or funding educational programs. Since there was no binding agreement included in the MSA on how MSA funds should be allocated by states, legislative decisions on using MSA funds towards other activities within the state could result from changes in relative power of political parties, changes in state fiscal conditions, or changes in public opinion with respect to tobacco control activities. Given the need to balance budgets and fund basic services in the states, it is not surprising that the longer range objective of reducing tobacco use is often ignored when revenue allocation decisions are made by state legislatures.
I'm leaving this here in case anyone needs to prove what we already know to someone who doesn't vape. - 5150
Conclusions
This is one of the first studies to investigate the relationship between MSA payments and state tobacco control environments across all states within the U.S. over time. While previous literature has examined variations across time for a single state, or variation across states for a single point in time, no study (to our knowledge) has analyzed how usage of MSA funding in all states have affected the tobacco control environment in each state. This study contributes as a first step in filling that gap in the literature.
We find that higher MSA payments are associated with weaker tobacco control environments across states. Our analysis also indicated that states with higher proportion of older individuals were less likely to have stronger tobacco control environments, while states with larger proportions of minority populations were more likely to have stronger tobacco control environments.
The results of state tobacco control environment, and the fate of MSA spending to date, can be explained largely by the realities of health policy making within states. While MSA payments received by states could be seen as funds that must be allocated towards tobacco control activities by tobacco control policy makers, state legislatures may not share the same point of view and could decide to divert those MSA funds towards other activities such as building bridges or funding educational programs. Since there was no binding agreement included in the MSA on how MSA funds should be allocated by states, legislative decisions on using MSA funds towards other activities within the state could result from changes in relative power of political parties, changes in state fiscal conditions, or changes in public opinion with respect to tobacco control activities. Given the need to balance budgets and fund basic services in the states, it is not surprising that the longer range objective of reducing tobacco use is often ignored when revenue allocation decisions are made by state legislatures.
I'm leaving this here in case anyone needs to prove what we already know to someone who doesn't vape. - 5150
