Ms. Givel et Sa. Glantz, Failure to defend a successful state tobacco control program: Policy lessons from Florida, AM J PUB HE, 90(5), 2000, pp. 762-767
Citations number
50
Categorie Soggetti
Public Health & Health Care Science","Envirnomentale Medicine & Public Health","Medical Research General Topics
Objectives. This investigation sought to define policy and political factor
s related to the undermining of Florida's successful Tobacco Pilot Program
in 1999.
Methods. Data were gathered from interviews with public health lobbyists, t
obacco control advocates, and state officials: news reports: and public doc
uments.
Results. As a result of a recent legal settlement with Florida, the tobacco
industry agreed to fund a youth antismoking pilot program. The program com
bined community-based interventions and advertisements. In less than 1 year
, the teen smoking prevalence rate dropped From 23.3% to 20.9%. The program
also enjoyed high public visibility and strong public support. Nevertheles
s, in 1999, the state legislature cut the program's funding from $70.5 mill
ion to $38.7 million, and the Bush administration dismantled the program's
administrative structure. Voluntary health agencies failed to publicly hold
specific legislators and the governor responsible for the cuts.
Conclusions. The legislature and administration succeeded in dismantling th
is highly visible and successful tobacco control program because pro-health
forces limited their activities to behind-the-scenes lobbying and were unw
illing to confront the politicians who made these decisions in a public for
um.