SB298 Update

Tomorrow (1/17) the House Ways and Means Committee will hear SB298 the government consolidation bill that includes language to eliminate Indiana Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Agency (ITPC.) The hearing is set for 10:00 a.m. in room 401 at the Indiana Statehouse.

Abolishing ITPC's board and staff would do a disservice to the people of Indiana, great strides in reducing youth smoking rates have occurred under their rein and many local smoke free air laws have been passed. Tobacco prevention programs were all but eliminated in Mississippi & Ohio after their programs were moved into their state health departments. Indiana cannot afford to loose tobacco prevention funding, we are already 2nd highest in the nation for adult smokers and there are 27 other states with smoke free air laws and it appears that we are no where near getting one passed here.

Please if you have the time come out to the hearing tomorrow and show your support for ITPC. Indiana cannot afford to loose more fellow Hoosiers to smoking and to fall farther behind other states by not having tobacco prevention programming.

Here is an article from Dr. Richard Feldman on the topic from today's Indianapolis Star.