6/22/10: New Jersey Governor Christie ENDS state funding for Comprehensive Tobacco Control Program
On June 22, 2010, New Jersey Governor Christie and New Jersey Legislative leaders agreed to the budget terms for July 1, 2010 - June 30, 2011. This proposed budget eliminated all state funding for NJ's Comprehensive Tobacco Control Program (CTCP). This budget is expected to be approved by the Senate and Assembly Budget Committees, and the full legislature, by June 30, 2010.
Since early 2010, New Jersey tobacco control advocates worked tirelessly to educate policymakers and the public at large, on the need to fund CTCP, but to no avail. Going forward in autumn 2010, the New Jersey legislature may introduce legislation to increase the licensing fees to sell cigarettes, and create a licensing fee to sell other tobaccco products, and earmark such fees to fund CTCP. In the meantime, due to no more state funding for CTCP, As of July 1, 2010 New Jersey has only very limited resources devoted to tobacco control programs, most of which are funded by a small federal grant from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. GASP is a recipient of part of this CDC funding, and GASP will continue its work on tobacco control.
Click here to visit GASP's Budget Alert pages with information about New Jersey's Comprehensive Tobacco Control Program effectiveness.
Last update: 4/11/11