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West Side Career and Technology teacher re-charged in child corruption case

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Society for Human Resource Management presents EXCEL award

<p>Tobacco prevention and control programs are at risk in Pennsylvania.</p><p>Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable illness and death in the United States. It costs Pennsylvania $6.38 billion a year in healthcare and lost productivity, that&#8217;s more than $17 million a day!</p><p>Last year, more than 5,700 youth started vaping daily; despite this fact, and the fact that the U.S. surgeon general declared an e-cigarette use epidemic among youth, some Pennsylvania lawmakers are seeking to defund these proven and effective programs in the commonwealth.</p><p>Tobacco prevention and cessation programming funds have been ruthlessly redirected in the past. In 1998, Pennsylvania, along with 45 other states, entered into a Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) with the tobacco industry. The agreement stated that the commonwealth will receive funding in perpetuity for tobacco prevention and cessation programs.</p><p>Pennsylvania&#8217;s prevention and control programs work. The results are compelling.</p><p>The American Lung Association in Pennsylvania partners with Pathway to Recovery to provide comprehensive tobacco control services to Northeast residents, including prevention, cessation, and smokefree housing and worksite programs.</p><p>Not funding these programs will result in an increase of e-cigarette use by our youth, and more people will die from tobacco use. Lawmakers need to keep the promise made in 1998: that the MSA money will be spent on keeping people from a lifetime of addiction to save more lives.</p><p>Do the lives of Pennsylvania citizens mean more than its budget?</p><p><strong>Chelsey Hildebrand</strong></p><p>American Lung Association</p><style>
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Your view: Keep tobacco prevention, control programs funded