Lawrence County to Receive $34,585 in Funding to Reduce Tobacco Use

NASHVILLE  – Tennessee Department of Health Deputy Commissioner Eugene Neubert will join other state and local officials on Tuesday, May 27, at the Lawrence County Health Department in Lawrenceburg to present $34,585 in funding as part of the Tennessee Tobacco Settlement Program.

Each county in Tennessee will receive funding during this three-year program to reduce the burden of tobacco use in the state. All counties are challenged to set goals and select one or more projects that address three topics:  eliminating smoking during pregnancy; reducing infants’ and children’s exposure to second-hand smoke; and preventing child and adolescent tobacco use. Lawrence County will focus its first-year project on preventing youth from initiating tobacco use.

Funding from the Tobacco Settlement was provided to the Tennessee Department of Health for fiscal years 2014-16 to address the state’s high rate of tobacco use and prevent expensive related medical costs. The plan to distribute $15 million over three years has been generated with input from all 95 counties. This plan includes a variety of projects to target behaviors designed to protect the health of Tennessee’s most vulnerable populations:  unborn babies, pregnant women and children.

Who:   Eugene Neubert, Deputy Commissioner for Operations, Tennessee Department of Health

            Leslie Humphreys, MPA, Assistant Commissioner for Community Health Services, TN Department of Health

             Ami Mitchell, South Central Regional Health Director, Tennessee Department of Health

             Devin Toms, Lawrence County Health Director, Tennessee Department of Health

             J. Mack Chandler, Lawrence County Executive

             Rep. Vance Dennis, District 71

             Rep. Barry Jay Doss, District 70

What:  Presentation of Tennessee Tobacco Settlement Program funding                               

When:  Tuesday, May 27, 1 p.m.                    

Where:  Lawrence County Health Department

                2379 Buffalo Road

Lawrenceburg, Tennessee  38464

MEDIA CONTACTS:  Shelley Walker, 615-253-5184 or Shelley.Walker@tn.gov or Janet McAlister, 931-490-8885 or Janet.McAlister@tn.gov.