Framework Settlement Agreement remains a flawed conundrum even after 20 years | Economic news

They say they wish they had done more to secure the mandatory amounts of MSA payments dedicated to programs aimed at helping tobacco users quit smoking and preventing young people from ever starting. to smoke.

“Despite receiving (over) $ 27 billion from tobacco regulations and tobacco taxes (in fiscal 2018), states continue to severely underfund prevention and control programs. smoking cessation proven to save lives and money, ”according to a coalition of public health groups. in the 19th edition of their review “Broken Promises” of the implementation of the MSA.

States “will spend less than 3% – $ 721.6 million – on programs to prevent children from smoking and to help smokers quit,” the groups said.

Harold Wimmer, President of the American Lung Association, said that “it is really up to our representatives to do the right thing and to implement and fully fund proven tobacco control programs.”

MSA’s greatest achievement has been to “show that Big Tobacco can be successfully challenged,” said David Sweanor, adjunct professor of law at the University of Ottawa and author of several studies on e-cigarettes and health. .

“The biggest missed opportunity was that companies were able to take advantage of opponents’ focus on abstinence alone and ensure that the penalties they paid were also imposed on companies that had never participated in the bad behavior. who was supposed to be punished, ”Sweanor said. .