Oklahoma 20th In Funding Programs To Protect Kids From Tobacco

Thursday, December 7th 2006, 1:31 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- A new national report says Oklahoma improved from 21st to 20th among the 50 states and District of Columbia in the amount of money spent on tobacco-prevention programs.

The report called "A Broken Promise to Our Children" is complied by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, the American Heart Association, The American Cancer Society and the American Lung Association.

It says Oklahoma is spending $10-million on tobacco-free programs. The amount is just under 46 percent of the nearly $22-million the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the state spend on tobacco-prevention programs.

The report also says 28.6 percent of Oklahoma high school students smoke while just over 25 percent of adults in the state are smokers.