The “Tobacco Free Iowa” group lobbied lawmakers today, urging that 20-million dollars of what the state will be paid by cigarette-makers be used for a comprehensive campaign to curb tobacco use. 14-year-old Ariana Phillips of Des Moines has asthma — and her dad smokes. She told lawmakers her dad would benefit from state-sponsored smoking cessation programs.Phillips says her fellow teenagers see lots of cigarette ads, and she believes it’s time for the state to counter that.The Governor recommends only nine-million dollars of the tobacco settlement be used on anti-smoking programs. Tobacco Free Iowa President Kathy Calloway says that’s not enough, because the need is so great.And Calloway says more money should be used to enforce the laws on tobacco sales to minors because too many kids are able to freely buy cigarettes in Iowa.
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