Oklahoma receives $3.5 million tobacco payment

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Oklahoma received a payment of more than $3.5-million Wednesday as part of the state's settlement with the tobacco industry, officials said.<br/><br/>Seventy percent of the payment

Wednesday, April 19th 2006, 7:36 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Oklahoma received a payment of more than $3.5-million Wednesday as part of the state's settlement with the tobacco industry, officials said.

Seventy percent of the payment -- more than $2.48-million -- was deposited in Oklahoma's Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust Fund, which now has a balance of more than $302-million, State Treasurer Scott Meacham said.

Oklahoma has now received more than $494 million from the tobacco industry since 1998, Meacham said.

Oklahoma voters approved the creation of the Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust Fund in 2000, and the interest is used to fund health programs.