BY PAUL BARTON
Enquirer Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON -- Public health groups chastised Sen. Mike DeWine on Wednesday for supporting amendments to tobacco legislation that they said would cripple efforts to control youth smoking.
Mr. DeWine voted for an amendment offered by Sen. Paul Coverdell, R-Ga., that would redirect monies in the $516 billion bill toward anti-drug efforts.
Groups such as Effective National Action to Control Tobacco and Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (ENACT) said the drug efforts would divert at least $2 billion of the $2.5 billion to $3 billion that was originally supposed to go toward efforts such as smoking-cessation programs and public-education efforts aimed at youth smoking. In a letter to Mr. DeWine, the ENACT group expressed "serious disappointment."
Officials at Campaign for Tobacco-Free-Kids said the vote was especially disappointing considering Mr. DeWine's previous comments that the tobacco bill was an unprecedented opportunity to address youth smoking.
"You can't be serious about reducing tobacco use among children and still vote to divert the funds necessary to carry out that task," said Matthew Myers, spokesman for the group.
But Mr. DeWine's office insisted there was nothing inconsistent with his stance.
"It is a comprehensive effort to keep kids away from tobacco, away from drugs," said DeWine spokesman Charlie Boesel.
The aide noted that the senator had acted last month to boost penalties for tobacco companies if they do not meet goals for reducing youth smoking.
