Up in smoke
Looks like the state of Tennessee used its ill-gotten gains in an ill-conceived manner:
The report says that since 2002 Tennessee, as have Michigan and Missouri, has never spent any of its $1.3 billion tobacco-settlement payout on stop-smoking programs.
Poof.
December 7th, 2006 at 1:50 pm
My wife used to work for a state-funded stop-smoking program until May of 2006, one of two or three competing such programs in the area. So it seems that the state is spending money on stop-smoking programs. Maybe a negligible fraction of $1.3bn, but money nonetheless.
December 7th, 2006 at 1:53 pm
Have any states really used the money on stop-smoking programs? Besides token gestures, I mean?
I think it was just a matter of somebody hamstrung a large industry, and all the jackals and hyenas jumped in to get their fill.
December 7th, 2006 at 2:05 pm
Bob has 20/20 vision. Want to hear screaming and see nationalized industry? Let the tobacco marketers stop all domestic sales.
December 7th, 2006 at 3:19 pm
Yup, it’s just a “legal” way to steal money from people who smoke and transfer the cash to lawyer pockets and state coffers where it was treated just like pork.
What, you didn’t notice the spike in death-stick prices right after the verdict?
And we all know that the Fast Food industry and the Firearms Manufactures were next in line, right?
The funny part was when RJR bought Kraft to diversify their revenue stream. Then the trans-fat lawsuit legal threats came. Guess what? Kraft makes junk food too.
December 7th, 2006 at 7:25 pm
Are you still not smoking SU? My last puff was07/18/2006 at 11:30pm…I still crave the damn things. Damnit…when will they make flying cars and safe cigarettes!!! 🙂