| For Immediate Release November 09, 2005 |
Contact: Jennifer Friedman 202.296.5469 |
Virginia Voters Elect Legislators Who Support Tobacco Prevention Policies
Washington, DC - Virginia voters on Tuesday elected 14 candidates for the House of Delegates who the Tobacco-Free Kids Action Fund endorsed because they support tobacco prevention policies that reduce smoking, save lives and save money by reducing smoking-caused health care costs. The election of these candidates indicates that even in the home state of Philip Morris, there is growing support for effective policies to reduce tobacco use and for political candidates who support these policies.
"In electing candidates who support tobacco prevention, Virginians have delivered a win for the health of the commonwealth and a blow to the interests of Big Tobacco," said William V. Corr, Executive Director of the Tobacco-Free Kids Action Fund. "These votes underscore the strong and growing public support for measures that are proven to reduce smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke, even in the heart of tobacco country. We look forward to working with the House of Delegates and Governor-elect Tim Kaine to pass measures that will reduce the terrible toll tobacco use takes on all Virginians."
The following Virginia House of Delegate-elects support at least three of the five legislative priorities for Virginia of the TFK Action Fund and other public health groups, and many of them support all five. These legislative priorities are : 1) maintaining or increasing current state funding for its program to prevent and reduce tobacco use among youth; 2) allocating a portion of state tobacco tax revenues and tobacco settlement funds to help adult smokers quit through a state quitline and other means; 3) providing local governments with expanded authority to implement or increase their own tobacco tax rates; 4) increasing the state’s below-average tobacco tax rates to further reduce smoking, especially among youth; and 5) passing a strong statewide smoke-free law to protect Virginia workers and patrons from secondhand smoke.
- David Poisson (D), District 32
- Vince Callahan (R), District 34
- Ken Plum (D), District 36
- Vivian Watts (D), District 39
- David Englin (D), District 45
- Al Eisenberg (D), District 47
- Harry Parrish (R), District 50
- David Toscano (D), District 57
- Bill Barlow (D), District 64
- Chuck Caputo (D), District 67
- Roslyn Tyler (D), District 75
- Bob Purkey (R), District 82
- Tom Rust (R), District 86
- Paula Miller (D), District 87
In addition, Governor-elect Kaine strongly supported the budget reforms advanced by Governor Mark Warner, including a state cigarette tax increase, while his opponent did not.
"Under the leadership of Governor-elect Kaine, a demonstrated supporter of tobacco prevention policies, the Commonwealth will be well-equipped to tackle the serious tobacco problem it faces," added Corr, "and Virginians are ready."
Virginia has a long way to go to protect its youth from becoming addicted smokers and otherwise prevent and reduce the enormous amount of disease, harm and costs caused by smoking and other tobacco use in the state. Smoking is the leading preventable cause of death in Virginia, claiming more than 9,200 lives each year and costing the state $1.9 billion annually in health care bills, including $369 million in Medicaid payments alone. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that smoking-caused health expenditures and productivity losses cost Virginia $6.17 for every pack of cigarettes sold in the state. Government expenditures related to smoking amount to a hidden tax of $543 each year on every Virginia household. Some 21 percent of Virginia high school students are current smokers, and 18,800 more kids become regular smokers every year.