5 Year Anniversary of ND's Comprehensive Program

Today marks the 5-year anniversary of the passage of Initiated Measure #3, which, when passed with 54% of the vote on the General Election ballot on November 4, 2008, created a statewide comprehensive tobacco prevention and control program.
As one of only two states in the country to fully fund a comprehensive tobacco prevention program at CDC recommended levels, North Dakota – whose program is funded strictly through the Master Settlement Agreement – should be proud of the importance we have placed on doing all we can to reduce the deaths and diseases of our fellow North Dakotans caused by tobacco use.
Thanks to support from the general public, great strides have been made in the area of tobacco prevention and control.  Most recently, in November 2012, their voices were heard when another initiated measure earned 67% of the vote at the polls, receiving a majority vote in every county and legislative district in the state, passing the nation’s strongest statewide smokefree law.
Since 2008, it has become increasingly clear that North Dakotans believe an effective and worthy use for a portion of the monies settled with the tobacco industry in the Master Settlement Agreement in 1998 should be dedicated to tobacco prevention efforts through a comprehensive program.  In a poll commissioned by TFND and conducted by Keating Research, Inc, in February 2013, public support for maintaining and continuing to fund the comprehensive tobacco prevention and control program had grown to 89%.
TFND congratulates North Dakota voters for making this commitment five years ago, commends them for strengthening their support to that commitment, and challenges the state’s elected officials to reinforce this commitment in the future.