Wisconsin public health department was seeking to get $3 million part of stimulus money to eliminate sales of flavored tobacco products, including cigars, snuff and loose tobacco, which according anti-smoking groups is aimed at kids.
However, last week Legislators turned down that bill, rejecting the request to fund the latest initiative of public health department, saying it would cost too much for the cash-strapped budget.
The Wisconsin Ways and Means Committee downed the bill introduced by the Department of Public Health, according to which the stimulus cash would be used to convince the Wisconsin communities’ officials to stop the sales of sweet-flavored products.
Public Health officials hoped such initiative could work in the same manner as it was with bans on public smoking, which spread across communities, shortly after the state department initiated a campaign to promote ban on smoking in public places, which in it way, resulted in a statewide ban.
Nevertheless, legislators stated that the initiative is a waste of stimulus money, and its main objective of creating new work places.
“It is costly and would definitely not create any new jobs,” admitted Rep. Phil Montgomery, who promised to oppose the bill. The lawmaker added that any restriction on a still legal product should be left on consideration of the Congress, while the Wisconsin legislature should not fund any campaign to affect opinion of general public.
Public Health Department spokesperson Laura Bolleli said the legislators have not understood the main aim of the bill, which was to improve public health and cut expenses on health care in long term perspective.
The flavored tobacco products are offered in numerous taste varieties, from chocolate to grape and cherry. Flavored tobacco can be found among cigars and dipping tobacco, as well as latest best-sellers – snus and snuff.
Ms. Bolleli said that according to household surveys, many parents are even not aware about the existence of such products, like snus, teabage-like pouches that are put between cheek and gum. Thus, public health department educators wanted to spread awareness about these products among teachers and parents, in order to prevent adolescents from buying them.
In conformity with a 2004 statewide study, 22 percent of teenagers admitted trying flavored cigarettes over the last 30 days, in comparison to only 6 percent of 25-yeears-olds.
However, flavored cigarettes were banned in September, under a federal legislation signed by President Barack Obama. The bill prohibited sales of all flavored cigarettes, except the menthol ones. But, it doesn’t cover other flavored tobacco products.
New York City is the only locality across the US to implement their own ban on sales of flavored tobacco products, although the spokesman of Altria Group, owner of Philip Morris USA, John Middleton and UST, said they are likely to contest that bill.