It all sounded so noble. The tobacco companies would cough up billions, upon billions of dollars and the states would use the money for anti-smoking programs.
Some of us though, thought this highly unlikely. First of all, politicians cannot simply leave money alone. They were going to use it for pet projects, and everyone knew it. Plus, the biggest profiteers on cigarette sales are the states themselves. They can't afford to have their citizens stop smoking.
So, guess what? The states are using the ill-gotten riches for just about everything except anti-smoking programs.
The tobacco industry said money from its $206 billion settlement with the states should be used for its agreed-upon purpose.
"There does seem to be something of a disconnect between how (states) are spending the money and what they said they needed it for," said John Singleton, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.'s director of communications.
Gee! Who has the moral high ground now?
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