We have a budget....finally

Both houses of the legislature have approved the budget. This budget means big things for the health of Wisconsin. In the budget compromise bill is a $1 increase in the cigarette tax and $15 million in tobacco control program funding. These numbers mean so much more than an item in the budget. What do these numbers really mean?

Saving lives:

• 65,800 kids alive today who will not become smokers
• 33,000 adults will quit smoking
• 21,000 adult smokers saved from smoking-caused death
• 9,100 fewer smoking-affected births

Saving money:

• $227.5 million in new cigarette tax revenue every year
• $15.6 million in 5-year health care savings from fewer smoking-affected pregnancies and births
• $1467.9 million in long-term health care savings in state from adult & youth smoking declines