Summary: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that North Dakota spend $9.3 million a year to have an effective, comprehensive tobacco prevention program.  North Dakota currently receives $4.1 million a year for tobacco prevention and cessation, which includes both state and federal funds.  This is 44.1% of the CDC's recommendation and ranks North Dakota 12th among the states in the funding of tobacco prevention programs.  North Dakota's spending on tobacco prevention amounts to 7.1% of the estimated $58 million in tobacco-generated revenue the state collects each year from settlement payments and tobacco taxes.

Recent Developments: North Dakota's tobacco settlement payments have been governed by a 1999 law that placed 45 percent of the money into a Water Resource Trust Fund, 45 percent into an Education Trust Fund, and 10 percent into a Community Trust Fund for health purposes. The FY2008-2009 biennial budget passed by the Legislature and signed by Governor John Hoeven (R) appropriated a combined $6.3 million for tobacco prevention, meaning $3.1 million will be appropriated for FY2009. The funds also support the North Dakota Tobacco Quitline; state and local cessation services, and an advisory committee. The biennial North Dakota Legislature was not in session in 2008. On November 4, 2008, North Dakota voters approved a ballot measure to allocate tobacco settlement bonus payments to fund the state's tobacco prevention and cessation program at the CDC-recommended funding level, which is $9.3 million a year. These new funds will not be available before April 2009 and are not included in this year's report.