| The budget keeps $100 million of tobacco settlement funds in the Tobacco Prevention and Control Account, and allows the department to use $20 million from the account next year.
``This budget upholds citizens' desire to use the tobacco settlement funds to prevent more people -- including children-- from becoming addicted to tobacco,'' said Secretary of Health Mary Selecky. ``It supports a statewide program, although we will need to make some reductions in the original proposal.''
In 1999, the Legislature established the Tobacco Prevention and Control Account, earmarking $100 million for the prevention and reduction of tobacco use in Washington. Earlier this year, the health department recommended a statewide prevention program that would cost $26 million next year.
The tobacco industry spends more than $100 million a year to market cigarettes and other tobacco products in Washington.
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