How can ASSISTs large budget be justified in these difficult economic times for Federal and state governments?
The budget for ASSIST pales in comparison to the $3.6 billion the tobacco industry spends each year on advertising and promotion. Smoking causes more premature deaths each year than AIDS, cocaine, heroin, alcohol, fire, car crashes, homicide, and suicide. Smoking-related illnesses cost the United States at least $65 billion annually in terms of health care costs and lost earnings. Through ASSIST, these costs–to taxpayers, employers, and the government–will be reduced, and early deaths will be avoided.
