A looser state budget will hand about $46 million back to cancer-fighting groups who had lost money for tobacco cessation and medical screening for the past three years.
Eroding state budgets pushed the legislature to confiscate Amendment 35 cancer-fighting money for emergency funds. The new 2012-13 state budget restores the money to the pots voters intended when they approved a higher cigarette tax in 2004.
The money will quickly boost tobacco "quit lines" for Colorado, and restore screening for breast, cervical and colorectal cancers, as well as treatments for the uninsured when those tests discover illnesses.
The Amendment 35 tax generated about $145 million in 2011, though the amount declines slightly each year along with cigarette-buying trends. Cancer fighting groups expect the tax to contribute about $23 million to tobacco-related projects and another $23 million for the cancer screens in the next year.
Most of the rest of the tax revenue generated by Amendment 35 goes to an expansion of Medicaid's Child Health Plan Plus, and primary care for the medically indigent.
"These programs really do save lives," said R.J. Ours, Colorado director of government relations for the American Cancer Society Action Network.
The cuts had dropped quit line services from 3,000 callers a month to 1,000. Breast and cervical cancer cuts meant 5,000 fewer women were screened, he said.
The quit line money pays for counseling and for a 30-day supply of nicotine-replacement products.
Though adult smoking rates are down to about 16 percent in Colorado, and teen rates at just under 20 percent, public health advocates believe more hard work and money can further reduce addictions and resulting costly disease.
Smoking opponents are broadening tobacco restrictions in Colorado. Golden last week passed a new licensing requirement for tobacco stores selling non-cigarette products like snus and tobacco-infused mints. The licensing revenue will be used to hire education and enforcement staff for tobacco sales laws.
