2000 -- H 7403
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LC01274
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S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2000
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A N A C T
RELATING TO ESTABLISH THE RHODE ISLAND TOBACCO CONTROL PROGRAM
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
SECTION 1. Title 23 of the General Laws entitled "Health and Safety" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following chapter:
CHAPTER 23-17.19
RHODE ISLAND TOBACCO CONTROL PROGRAM
23-17.19-1. Declaration of purpose. --
For the fiscal year 2001 and every year thereafter, the department of health shall be funded eleven million dollars ($11,000,000), and increased annually by two million dollars ($2,000,000) each following year until it is funded at twenty-one million dollars ($21,000,000) in 2006, to establish and implement the Rhode Island Tobacco Control Program mandated in accordance with chapter 23-17.19. The Rhode Island Tobacco Control Program would establish the following tobacco control project components to be funded at the following levels recommended by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The components of the Tobacco Control Program would include: (1) community programs to reduce tobacco use; (2) chronic disease programs to reduce the burden of tobacco-related diseases; (3) school programs; (4) enforcement; (5) statewide programs; (6) counter-marketing; (7) cessation programs; and (8) surveillance and evaluation.23-17.19-2. Oversight commission. --
As oversight for the Rhode Island Tobacco Control Program, the department shall establish a tobacco control leadership coalition for the oversight of its tobacco control program. (a) There is hereby created a state tobacco control leadership coalition of up to twenty-five (25) members to be appointed by the director that shall advise the department with respect to development and implementation of a comprehensive state tobacco control plan to include targeted goals for reducing the use of tobacco products, making recommendations for appropriate criteria for the selection of, and the types of programs to be funded under this chapter, and evaluation of the overall effectiveness of efforts made by the programs funded under this chapter to reduce the use of tobacco products.23-17.19-3. Tobacco control program. --
(a) To prevent tobacco related diseases and diminish tobacco use, the department shall establish a tobacco control program that incorporates health education, enforcement, and intervention and behavior change programs at the state level, in the community, in schools, and other nonschool settings. This program will include project components that include: (1) community programs to reduce tobacco use; (2) chronic disease programs to reduce the burden of tobacco related diseases; (3) school programs; (4) enforcement; (5) statewide programs; (6) counter-marketing; (7) cessation programs; and (8) surveillance and evaluation.(b) The department shall conduct statewide surveillance of tobacco related behaviors, knowledge, and attitudes and periodically evaluate the progress of the department's tobacco control programs in reducing the adult smoking prevalence rate from the 1998 benchmark rate of twenty-four percent (24%).
(c) The department shall conduct an ongoing public awareness of tobacco related diseases program by developing an information campaign using a variety of media approaches. Any media campaign funded under the tobacco control program shall stress the importance of both preventing the initiation of tobacco use and quitting smoking and shall be based on professional market research and surveys necessary to determine the most effective method of diminishing tobacco use among specified target populations and/or demonstrated effectiveness campaigns used in other states.
(d) The department shall award and administer grants for projects directed at preventing and reducing the use of tobacco and tobacco related diseases. The purpose of the grant program is to conduct health education and promotion activities and smoking cessation and enforcement programs designed to reduce the number of persons beginning to use tobacco, continuing to use tobacco, or developing tobacco related diseases. In awarding grants, the department shall select a variety of projects and grantees, consider the current availability of similar services and the need to target resources to programs serving populations at high risk of starting tobacco use or developing tobacco related diseases.
(e) The department shall award and administer an outside contractor to evaluate and assess efficacy for each component of the Rhode Island Tobacco Control Program listed above. This evaluation shall be submitted annually to the legislature and the director of the department of health.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon July 1, 2000.
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LC01274
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO ESTABLISH THE RHODE ISLAND TOBACCO CONTROL PROGRAM
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This act would establish and fund the Rhode Island Tobacco Control Program under the department of health.
This act would take effect upon July 1, 2000.
