Are State legislatures responding to public opinion when allocating funds for tobacco control programs?
Abstract
This study explored the factors associated with state-level allocations to tobacco-control
programs. The primary research question was whether public sentiment regarding tobacco
control was a significant factor in the states' 2001 budget decisions. In addition
to public opinion, several additional political and economic measures were considered.
Significant associations were found between our outcome, state-level tobacco-control
funding per capita, and key variables of interest including public opinion, amount
of tobacco settlement received, the party affiliation of the governor, the state's
smoking rate, excise tax revenue received, and whether the state was a major producer
of tobacco. The findings from this study supported our hypothesis that states with
citizens who favor more restrictive indoor air policies allocate more to tobacco control.
Effective public education to change public opinion and the cultural norms surrounding
smoking may affect political decisions and, in turn, increase funding for crucial
public health programs.
Type
Journal articleSubject
Health PromotionHumans
Politics
Public Opinion
Resource Allocation
Smoking
State Government
Tobacco Industry
United States
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https://hdl.handle.net/10161/2861Published Version (Please cite this version)
10.1177/1524839904264591Publication Info
Snyder, Angela; Falba, Tracy; Busch, Susan; & Sindelar, Jody (2004). Are State legislatures responding to public opinion when allocating funds for tobacco
control programs?. Health Promot Pract, 5(3 Suppl). pp. 35S-45S. 10.1177/1524839904264591. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10161/2861.This is constructed from limited available data and may be imprecise. To cite this
article, please review & use the official citation provided by the journal.
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Show full item recordScholars@Duke
Tracy Falba
Visiting Assistant Professor of Economics
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their Duke status at the time this item was deposited.

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