Conservatives Talk Tobacco Control But Slash Program
In the August 2012 issue of Tobacco Info, Geoffrey Lansdell reports on the Conservative government's decision to slash its tobacco control budget by $15 million this year: "Over the last six years, the government's tobacco control budget has dropped by $40 million, from $68 million in 2006 to $28 million for the 2012 fiscal year." This cut came on the heels of record tobacco tax revenues of $3 billion . The current tobacco control budget thus represents less than 1% of tax revenues collected from Canadian smokers . Put another way, From January 1 to January 3, cigarette taxes contribute toward federal tobacco control programs. For the remainder of the year, Harper's government does whatever it wants with this cash grab. The US Centers for Disease Control recommend that governments should spend $6 per capita to sustain a comprehensive tobacco control program. The $28 million in federal funding represents just 81 cents per capita . The cuts were roun...
