NEW YORK, April 21, 2008 – “Ohio Governor Ted Strickland’s attempt to raid the Ohio Tobacco Prevention Foundation and divert funds dedicated to tobacco prevention and control for his own purposes is a setback for youth smoking prevention in Ohio and a win for big tobacco.”

“I applaud the action of the Ohio court in staying any attempt to divert these funds and in granting The American Legacy Foundation status in the lawsuit as an intervenor.  The American Legacy Foundation’s prevention programs are the most effective in the country.”

“The costs of increases in youth smoking and killing and crippling smoking-related cardiovascular, cancer and respiratory diseases will far exceed in financial costs and human misery any benefits the governor may gain by raiding the Tobacco Prevention Foundation’s treasury.”

 The Citizens’ Commission to Protect the Truth, a group of all former U.S. Secretaries of Health, Education, and Welfare and of Health and Human Services, all former U.S. Surgeons General, and all former Directors of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Republican and Democrat from every Administration over the last forty years, was formed in March 2004 to prevent youth from smoking. Among its efforts, the Commission shines a spotlight on the continued need to fund truth®, the only independent national youth counter- marketing campaign with demonstrated results in keeping children and teens from smoking. For more information on the Commission, visit its Web site at www.ProtectTheTruth.org.

Contact: Lauren Duran, 212-841-5206 or lduran@casacolumbia.org

Sulaiman Beg, 212-841-5213 or sbeg@casacolumbia.org