The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #60558

Jennifer K. Ibrahim, PhD, Theodore H. Tsoukalas, PhD, and Stanton A Glantz, PhD. University of California, San Francisco, Center for Tobacco Control Research & Education, 530 Parnassus Ave., Suite 366, San Francisco, CA 94143-1390, 415-476-0813, ibrahim@itsa.ucsf.edu

Objective: To describe the creation and subsequent attacks on the Minnesota Partnership for Action Against Tobacco (MPAAT).

Methods: Information on MPAAT was collected through interviews with health advocates and political officials and searches of tobacco industry documents and published reports.

Results: MPAAT, created by court order as a result of Minnesota’s settlement with the major tobacco companies in May 1998, was designed to diminish the human and economic consequences of tobacco use in Minnesota. Beginning in November 2001, MPAAT was attacked first in the media, when reporters from the Star Tribune printed several articles alleging that MPAAT had inadequately funded youth smoking prevention programs and withheld and misdirected funds. In January 2002, similar to earlier attacks on Minnesota’s ASSIST program, the tobacco industry used third party allies, such as the Minnesota Hospitality Association, to accuse MPAAT of misusing cessation funds to finance local ordinance campaigns, despite clear evidence that smokefree environments substantially increase cessation. In April 2002, Attorney General Hatch filed a motion with the Ramsey County District Court seeking to dissolve MPAAT because it had squandered funds and violated guidelines in the grant funding process. Despite these numerous attacks, health advocates in Minnesota have not taken strong public action to prevent the dismantling of MPAAT.

Conclusion: The fate of MPAAT will be announced at a hearing in February 2003. Given a Republican Governor and a Republican House who favor using tobacco funds for tax refunds and a $4.5 billion state budget deficit, MPAAT’s future appears jeopardized along with many tobacco control programs nationwide.

Learning Objectives:

• Explain the creation of MPAAT as a result of the Minnesota settlement with the major tobacco companies and in the midst of an unfriendly political climate.
• Discuss the implications of attacks on tobacco control made by not only the tobacco industry’s third party allies, but also the media and high-level elected officials.
• Review the importance of a strong and united response from health advocates and the serious consequences of a lack of response.

Keywords: Tobacco Litigation, Tobacco Policy

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.