Public Health officials tell committee CDC recommends more than twice current tobacco‑prevention spending

Stacy Campbell, Division Administrator for the Public Health and Safety Division, briefed the House Health and Human Services Committee on how Montana uses Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) funds. Campbell summarized Montana’s statutory allocation (I‑146): 11% to the general fund, 17% to CHIP, 32% to tobacco prevention and 40% to a tobacco trust.

Campbell said the MSA provides about $5.2 million to the Tobacco Use Prevention Program and the state receives about $1.3 million through a CDC cooperative agreement. By contrast, the CDC’s recommended annual funding for a comprehensive tobacco‑prevention program for Montana is about $14.6 million. Campbell said Montana’s combined funding for tobacco prevention is roughly $7 million, leaving the program below CDC recommendations.

Committee members asked whether the Tobacco Prevention Advisory Board should be kept active; Campbell acknowledged the advisory board (15 members) has not met since COVID and said reviving or changing the board would be a matter for the director and, ultimately, the legislature. Members also asked about the long‑term revenue outlook if smoking rates continue to decline; Campbell said MSA payments are tied to cigarette sales so receipts fall as smoking declines and that 40% of receipts go into a trust whose interest is used for program spending.

Campbell cited priority program goals: eliminate secondhand smoke exposure, promote quitting, prevent youth initiation and address tobacco‑related disparities (including American Indian communities). She offered to provide handouts and slides to the committee for further review.

The committee did not take policy votes during the presentation.