The announcement came only a day after the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids criticized North Carolina for not using any of its share of a tobacco settlement to prevent youth from smoking.
Derek Chernow, communications director for Perdue, said Perdue's announcement was not connected to the results of the study. "Long before the study came out the Health Trust Commission made teen smoking cessation one of their priorities," Chernow said. "They just want to make sure they have the best possible allocation."
The national tobacco settlement, a financial deal between 46 states, the District of Columbia and the tobacco industry, compensates states for money spent treating smoking-related illnesses. North Carolina will receive $4.6 billion over 25 years, according to the settlement.
North Carolina's settlement portion is split among the Health and Wellness Trust Fund and two groups geared toward helping the tobacco industry -- farmers and farming communities.
The Health and Wellness Trust Fund, which will fund the programs to prevent teen smoking, will receive 25 percent of the state's share of the settlement. Chernow said the trust fund, which meets monthly, has not decided on a specific plan of action.
The campaign's report also stated that Tennessee, Michigan and the District of Columbia did nothing to prevent teenage smoking with their shares of the $206 billion settlement. Joel Spivak, a media representative for the campaign that published the study, said the 85-page report was published because "everybody in the health community ... wants to see smoking reduced not only because it saves lives but because in the long run, it saves the taxpayers money."
The money has been used in a variety of ways. Some states have used settlement money for advertising and improved law enforcement intended to curb tobacco use by teenagers.
William Upchurch, executive director of the Tobacco Trust Fund, said farmers are concerned about prevention as well. "The tobacco farmers and the tobacco industry in North Carolina are interested in youth smoking prevention."
Spivak said the report holds little political weight. "We can't force the people in the North Carolina legislature to make tobacco legislation if they don't want it."
