Bismarck, North Dakota News

" um...... yeah if people want to smoke then let them. its their life and their decision. "

" I used to smoke, started when I was around 12 or 13 and FINALLY quit when I was in my early 30's (was up to 2 packs a day for awhile). Guess what, I tried an assortment of "stop smoking" tricks and such. I quit cold turkey because I WANTED to, not because I had to. I had a new loving woman in my life and SHE gave me the strangth I needed to quit. That stranght was just telling me that she loved me no matter what but she wanted me to be around long enough to retire with. I quit because I wanted to and that's ALL it takes. Say your going to quit and then do it, drugs and gov. programs don't help at all, when it comes down to it all you really need is the desire to WANT to quit and the support from friends and family to do it. "

" Karla,
My name is Lori Palermo from Gouldsboro, PA. I received your article through a Google Alert. On 26 Dec. 2003 my dad passed away after a 13 year battle with COPD/Emphysema. Since that time I have become very involved in lung disease work and smokefree living. In June 2006 on Fathers Day, I launched my own website In Memory of my dad. I am now an Advocate For Lung Disease Awareness & Smokefree Living. My dad had smoked since he was a young boy, he quit when he was diagnosed with the Big E. But unfortunately it was too late.
My mom, sister and I were exposed to second hand smoke for many years. I have developed asthma but luckily can control it with the maintenance diskus Advair. My grandmother (my dad's mother who also smoked) passed away at 85 years old in 1995 of Lung Cancer. I believe awareness and funding for smoking cessation has to be made available to the smokers. You cannot "make" anyone quit, they must do it on their own accord.... but it is sure worth trying. Not only for their own health but also for their loved ones and everyone around them.
Karla, I would like your permission to add your article possibly with the comments to my website.
Thank you,
Lori Palermo
loveyourlungs@yahoo.com
www.loveyourlungsbreatheforlife.com "

" Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of death in North Dakota, killing more than 900 adults each year and costing the state $247 million in health care bills each year. Each year, 800 North Dakota kids become new, regular smokers, and 11,000 North Dakota kids alive today will ultimately die from smoking. This money will help decrease the amount of money the state will spend on tobacco related illnesses, which will lead to lower taxes. Utilizing this limited supply of money for the reason it was given to North Dakota will benifit everyone in the state. If I can help one person quit smoking, or prevent one child from starting I will be happy. The educational programs that this money will support have been proven to work. In fact the CDC has found that the longer states fund these programs, the greater and faster the improvements in health. Please vote YES on Measure 3. "

" Smoking is still the number one cause of preventable death in North Dakota and in the nation. The money spent will be more than made up for in reduced medical costs and the reduced death and disability caused by smoking. I would highly recommend voting Yes on Measure 3. "

" Sorry stinky, but this measure will only create a commission of 9 members who will have sole authority where to spend the money. Mostly for studies and commission expenses and advertising. "

" Please vote NO on this measure. Why continually waste money on programs that have such a low success rate. You can disagree with me but as if we as society do not know how bad smoking can be. There are more than enough ways to quit smoking rather than adding another government program that does not work. "

" Measure number three is a wonderful bill that will pick up on the people that are falling through the cracks. People who want to quit, but are too weak to not need intervention of some type. This measure should also cover those who are hard core smokers looking to quit, but don't have the intestinal fortitude to do so. Vote YES on Measure Number 3. "

" Cami, this will take money from other projects and that money will have to be replaced by other tax funds. Does the commission go away when the tobacco funds cease to exist? NO, it will continue into eternity, a waste of money. "

" Measure 3 is nothing more than yet another liberalist attempt to waste tax payer's monies. Before anyone goes on a tangent that this doesn't come fom taxes, it is stall money that belongs to the tax payers. With that said, why is it that there is always a cross section of people that want to try and influence or control how people live thier lives? " They did not choose to get these life-changing illnesses, and I would like to think that given the opportunity to have smoking cessation and tobacco education classes, they may have quit before their lungs were diseased or damaged, or best of all, may not have even started using tobacco at all". I beg to differ Ms. Smith. I am 50 and for as long as I can remember there have been claims that smoking causes these illnesses and smokers still CHOOSE to take up the habit. When are we going to start holding people reponsible for thier decisions? "

" Karla, I have already voted by absentee ballot. I did vote Yes on the measure to provide more money from the tobacco settlement of over ten years ago to fund smoking cessation education. It is an excellent use for the money as intended. "

" I would like to thank Karla for writing this informational letter. People need to realize that this money is not being taken away from other projects or from tax payers pockets. This is money that came from a legal settlement as a result of lawsuits against tobacco companies. I agree that drinking and driving is an enemy to be targeted as well, but it should not be done with money from tobacco companies. There are many people out there that would like to quit smoking but don't know how to break the addiction on their own. Providing nicotine replacement products and cessation education to those who do want to quit will benefit the state as a whole: with cleaner air, greener landscape and healthier inhabitants! Providing education on the dangers of tobacco use to the younger generations will help to decrease the need for cessation efforts in the future by deterring our young people from starting at all. I don't understand how anyone could not agree that this is an excellent program! Please, for the good of our state, vote yes on Measure 3!! "

" NO MORE COMMISSIONS! i THINK THE STAE IS DOING FINE WITH THE MONEY. "

" the ballot measure is confusing, but from what I understand, voting yes means using the money for what it was intended to be used for. Voting no means to keep using dirty money to fund schools, health care, and infrastructure. It's a no-win situation. Eventually, the settlement money will dry up and go away. I'd rather keep using it to benefit everyone while it lasts, instead of using it for what it was intended for.

if we're not using it for what it was intended for, then give it back, or keep using it for things our taxes should be paying for, but gosh golly gee, don't be making up ways to waste it. Vote NO on measure 3. "

" Why vote for something like this? Using money to educate people that tobacco is bad? Every one already knows tobacco is bad, but people still use tobacco and have been doing so for hundreds of years. But what about alcohol? Where is the loud campaign to educate people about the harmful effects of alcohol? What about committees against illegal drugs? Why has tobacco been chosen to be the targeted enemy? I'm just not convinced that we need to limit people's freedom and liberty. I say use the money for something that could benefit the state as a whole. By the way, no I do not smoke. I frequent both smoking and non-smoking establishments. My clothes smell like smoke, I toss them in the wash, big deal! I have a greater concern about driving home and getting hit by a drunk driver than from someone blowing smoke in my direction... "

" Karla, I agree that smoking is horribly stupid but taking 16 million dollars and forming a 9 member commission will not get one person to stop smoking. The commission will get a large portion of that money and very little will actually go into smoking cessation efforts. A large portion of the smoking public does not want to stop and will not quit no matter how much money you throw at them. If you were successful in getting all the ND smokers to stop we will need the tobacco settlement money to replace the tobacco taxes that no longer come into the state. Another commission is not needed, maybe we should do a study instead. : ) "