Legislative Developments

Amendment 4 Implementation Presentations, Committee on Health Quality, Florida House of Representatives, February 6, 2007, (8.10 MB PDF File)

In the News

Editorials

The voters' will didn't go up in puff of smoke, Palm Beach Post Editorial, Monday, May 21, 2007

Money to stop smoking Legislature honors voters' wishes -- this time, Sarasota Herald-Tribune Editorial, May 10, 2007

A political settlement, Match legislative action with referendum result, Herald Tribune Editorial, November 10, 2006

Our preferences for amendments, Vote Yes on 4, Fernandina Beach News Leader, November 6, 2006

Don’t leave out the constitution, We recommend a YES vote on Amendment 4, Ocala Star-Banner Opinion, November 4, 2006

Editorial Board endorsements: Amendment 4: Yes, Our picks on the amendments, Pensacola News Journal, November 1, 2006

Our view: We recommend on amendments, Five proposed changes to the Florida Constitution should be rejected, one passed (Amendment 4), Florida Today, October 31, 2006

The reason for Amendment 4, Herald Tribune, Survey shows state funding vital in effort to deter teen smoking, October 30, 2006

Yes on Amendment 4 to break the addiction, Gainesville Sun, October 30, 2006

We Recommend...Amendment 4: Vote Yes, Bradenton Herald, This is a chance for Floridians to tell their lawmakers to stop the bait-and-switch with the tobacco fund. October 29, 2006.

Vote YES on Amendment No. 4, Editorial, South Florida Sun-Sentinel Editorial Board, October 27, 2006

Election 2006: Endorsements. Summary of endorsements Yes on 4, Bonita Daily News, Editorial, October 25, 2006

Don't amend away your rights. We say vote Yes on Amendment 4. The News-Press, Editorial, October 24, 2006

AMENDMENT 4: Gutting spirit of tobacco suit. If ever one amendment to the Florida Constitution deserves to be passed by a landslide on Nov. 7, this is it. Florida Times-Union, October 24, 2006

Spend money, save lives. Palm Beach Post Editorial, October 24, 2006

Constitutional Amendments. The Ledger recommends 'Yes' on No. 4, October 23, 2006

Constitutional amendments. We recommend 'Yes' on No. 4, 'No' on the others, Herald Tribune, October 21, 2006

Support 4, Thank you for voting 'yes'. The reason to vote "yes" on Amendment 4 is frankly the overwhelming public-health concern that it addresses. Tallahassee Democrat, October 21, 2006

Initiative would counter Big Tobacco's appeal to teens, By T. WAYNE BAILEY, COMMUNITY VOICES, Dayton Beach News-Journal, October 21, 2006

History shows we can reduce smoking. Cancer survivor knows dangers of smoking. Tallahassee Democrat, Letter to the Editor, October 21, 2006

Editorial: Election 2006, Except Legislature's idea, amendments make sense, Naples Daily News, October 18, 2006

OUR OPINION: Revive the 'Truth' on smoking. It's hard to imagine an area where the Legislature has failed our children more than in the gutting of the initiative to curb smoking by Florida youngsters. Ocala Star Banner, October 9, 2006.

USA Today, Editorial, September 12, 2006

Big Tobacco's big deception, A Times Editorial, Published September 4, 2006

Florida Today Editorial. Our view: Florida should fight tobacco addiction Florida should fight tobacco addiction with more education for youth. Florida Today, September 3, 2006

Big Tobacco, Lawless as Ever, Profiting by manipulating addictions that kill, Washington Post Editorial, Tuesday, September 5, 2006

Tobacco's latest lie: 'Light' means less
Our Opinion: Expand FDA Power to Regulate Nicotine, Cigarettes, Editorial, Miami Herald, September 6, 2006

Burned by lawmakers - State should do more to prevent teens from turning to deadly cigarettes, Editorial, Florida Today, July 12, 2006

Featured Articles

Letter to the Editor, Palm Beach Post, John Chaperon, Ft. Lauderdale, Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Senator Durell Peaden, R-Crestview: "This is probably the most important project and the most important issue we’ll address this year.” Hundreds of cancer survivors and loved ones are joining forces with anti-smoking advocates to push for a tough new health program at the Capitol. They rallied in Tallahassee today (Feb. 20. 2007) in support of an effort to draft a comprehensive anti-youth smoking campaign that voters approved in the last election. (read more)

Six Amendments On Fla. Ballot, By Tom Schaad, WESH-TV, Voters aren't only choosing candidates on Election Day, they're also shaping the state constitution, November 7, 2006

Amendment 4 would increase funding for anti-smoking programs, MARK LONG, Associated Press, November 7, 2006

Election 2006: Simplifying Election Amendments,
By Kyle Meenan, First Coast News, Many voters are confused by the wording used in constitutional amendments. This year there are six to be decided, November 7, 2006

Make smokers pay, Bradenton Herald Letter by Rolland S. Freeman, Re: Amendment 4 to protect people, especially youth, from themselves via the use of tobacco, really now!, November 6, 2006

Amendment 4 takes aim at smoking, Pensacola News Journal, Viewpoint by Steve Burgess, On Election Day voters can do more than just elect our next slate of public officials, they can fight cancer and other diseases caused by tobacco, November 4, 2006

Vote yes on 4, Jacksonville Times-Union Letter by J. Dale Schrum, M.D., Amendment 4 is designed to restore funding to Florida's youth tobacco education program, November 4, 2006

DON’T Vote NO on Amendment 4, St. Pete Times Letter by Alison Griner, Voting No on Amemdment 4 is the equivalent of giving candy flavored tobacco to babies, November 4, 2006

Protect Our Kids, Gainesville Sun Letter by Steven Rose, Amendment 4 will help protect Florida's children, November 4, 2006

Support Amendment 4, Gainesville Sun Letter by Alejandra Ellison-Barnes, November 3, 2006

Vote yes on Amendment 4 to cut huge tobacco toll, Palm Beach Post, Letter, November 3, 2006

Amendments clarified, Bradenton Herald, Letter November 3, 2006

Be prepared for long ballot when voting on Tuesday, by Ron Littlepage, Jacksonville Times-Union, Since the tobacco settlement grew out of the health issues caused by smoking, it's only right that a good chunk of it should go to preventing smoking in the first place, November 2, 2006

Voters to Decide on Amendment 4, First Coast News ABC 25, By Deanna Fené, November 1, 2006

AD WATCH: Charlie Ward Says Vote Yes on 4, Palm Beach Post, By Dara Kam, November 02, 2006

Heisman winner is backing Amendment 4, Miami Herald, Gary Fineout, November 1, 2006

Decoding the amendments: Amendment 4, NBC-2, Paul LaGrone November 1, 2006.

Tobacco proposal deemed a shoo-in. Jacksonville Times-Union, by Taylor Rushing, November 2, 2006

Restore funds to deter youths from smoking, Orlando Sentinel, T. Wayne Bailey, Opinion, November 2, 2006

Amendment 4 earmarks chunk of tobacco settlement to keep youth from smoking, Naples News, By Liz Freeman, November 1, 2006

Endorsement time . . . A handy guide on how to vote, crazies and all, Mike Thomas Commentary, Orlando Sentinel, October 31, 2006

Amendment would fight tobacco use, Alligator, Letter to the Editor, By Alejandra Ellison-Barnes. In high school, many of us stood up to the tobacco industry as members of Students Working Against Tobacco, October 30, 2006

Amendment 4, kids need our support, Sun Sentinel, Letter to the Editor by Sheila Jaffe, Your vote should be Yes on Amendment 4 to fund the successful Youth Tobacco Education Programs that were funded by the Florida tobacco settlement, October 29, 2006

Once Eight, Now Six Amendments Are On The Florida Ballot, The Ledger, Florida voters will decide on six amendments to the state's constitution Nov. 7, October 29, 2006

Voters will decide half-dozen constitutional amendments, Pensacola News Journal, by Aaron Deslatte, Special interests are spending millions to influence voters on a raft of constitutional amendments, October 29, 2006

Host of proposed amendments on ballots, Gainesville Sun, By TIFFANY PAKKALA, As in many years, a number of proposed amendments to the Florida Constitution will appear on ballots in the Nov. 7 election, October 29, 2006

Voters To Decide On 6 Amendments In Florida, CBS-4 Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, by Eliott Rodriguez Six. constitutional amendments will be on the ballot this upcoming election day and while they haven't gotten the attention the candidates have, the amendments are important, October 27, 2006

American Cancer Society Votes Yes on 4, Emerald Coast Community News, The American Cancer Society is asking Floridians to “Vote Yes on Amendment 4” on election day, Nov. 7 to help prevent teens from smoking, October 27, 2006

Amendment Four, WMBB-TV Panama City, by Tuquyen Mach, Almost ten years ago, Florida settled a lawsuit with tobacco companies for $13 billion dollars, October 27, 2006

Ballot measures as important as top races, The West Side Gazzette, October 26, 2006

Group seeks support for anti-smoking education funding, WINK-TV News, An amendment on Florida's ballot is looking to get more funding for tobacco education, and Thursday, supporters of the plan made their way to Collier County, October 26, 2006

Movilizan a la comunidad a favor de la enmienda 4, Publicado el 10-20-2006 Para proteger a los jóvenes y a favor de la enmienda 4 que aparece en la boleta electoral, se movilizó a la comunidad este jueves en una manifestación en contra de las compañías tabacaleras

Teens shouldn't smoke, Miami Herald, Letter to the Editor, October 25, 2006

Tobacco education, News-Journal, Letter to the Editor, October 25, 2006

A lot at stake election day besides big races, News-Journal, Commentary by Pamela Hasterok, October 23, 2006, Floridians will choose a new governor in the next 15 days. But you're going to decide a lot more than that.

Help Restore Funding for Youth Smoking Prevention Programs, Wakulla.com, Letter to the editor, October 24, 2006

Group pushes youth anti-smoking amendment, Herald Tribune, By Anna Scott, October 22, 2006

Ballot has 6 questions for voters to decide. A key issue deals with how a proposed constitutional amendment is approved. Jacksonville Times Union, By J. Taylor Rushing, October 22, 2006

'Yes' On Amendment 4. Tampa Tribune, Letter to the Editor, October 22, 2006

Antitobacco Vows Were Just A Lot Of Smoke Skip. By Daniel Ruth, Tampa Tribune, October 19, 2006

Antismoking Program Goes Up In Flames
In retrospect, it should have been obvious to anyone that Florida's landmark Tobacco Control Program was doomed to failure. After all, this was a government program that actually worked. By Daniel Ruth, Tampa Tribune, October 17, 2006

Health Organizations Back Amendment 4. By Karen Moffitt, PhD, Guest Commentary, Tampa Tribune, October 16, 2006

Groups butt in on smoking, Daytona Beach News Journal, By Jim Saunders and Ray Weiss, October 16, 2006

Making smoking 'R'-rated, WTSP, Tampa Bay's 10 News, By De Anna Sheffield, October 16, 2006 (includes video)

Reviven lucha contra el tabaco, endiorlando.com
Jueves, 5 de octubre de 2006, LYDIA GUZMÁN

Central Florida Faith and Health Leaders Announce Support of Amendment 4 to Protect Florida Kids From Tobacco Casselberry, Fla., October 4, 2006 /PRNewswire/

Poll: 5 of 6 amendments likely to pass. A Miami Herald poll of likely voters showed that five of six constitutional amendments on the ballot appear likely to pass.
By Gary Fineout, Miami Herald, October 2, 2006
View Graphic (.pdf file)

Election Day's Coming -- Will You Understand the Amendments on the Ballot?
By Michael W. Freeman, The Reporter Editor, The Ledger, September 21, 2006

Bill Big Tobacco
Ocala News, Letter to the Editor, Bonnie Bixby, Ocklawaha, September 7, 2006

Letter to the editor: To smoke or not to smoke
TC Palm, September 4, 2006

Amendment 4 Will Save Lives, By: John Chaperon, Chairman, Floridians for Youth Tobacco Education, Inc.

Watch NBC's Broadcast on how Big Tobacco's deceiving America's Voters.

Tobacco Education, State must restore funding, Florida Times-Union, Letter to the Editor by Allan Geiger, Chairman, American Heart Association, Jacksonville

Vote yes Nov. 7 on anti-smoking funding, Florida Today, August 30, 2006

Amendment will save Florida's kids, Gainesville Sun,
August 29, 2006

Force spending on tobacco program, Sun-Sentinel, Letter to the Editor by Sheila Jaffe, Boca Raton, August 29, 2006

Students in anti-smoking program meet to discuss upcoming campaign, Naples News, August 24, 2006

CHAT wants more youth anti-smoking funding
Sun Herald, August 19th

Student group hits waterpark to warn of smoking dangers
Naples News, August 12, 2006

News Article Archive

Guest column exposed politician's hot air - FLORIDA TODAY Letter to the Editor, by Ron Ryback, Palm Bay

Anti-smoking bid finds no opposition, Bill Kaczor, The Associated Press, March 9, 2006

Don't let them gut your right of amendment, Mike Thomas, Commentary, Orlando Sentinel, February 5, 2006

Anti-smoking effort step closer to ballot, AP, The Lakeland Ledger, January 25, 2006

Dark Image Makes Some See The Light. George Wilkens, Tampa Tribune, November 18, 2005

Activists: Tobacco targets Hispanic kids. Laura Wides-Munoz, Associated Press, November 18, 2005

Two Things for the To-Do List. Editorial, The Lakeland Ledger, November 17, 2005

Tobacco: Failure to commit. Opinion, The Florida Times-Union, November 5, 2005

ABC News Quit to Live Series - Is Big Tobacco Sweet-Talking Kids Into Smoking?
Watch the Video.

Anti-smoking campaign shows good and bad of petitions. Bill Cotterell, Tallahassee Democrat, November 3, 2005.

Guest columnist: Editorial denouncing anti-tobacco initiative is misleading, By Marcella Capar, October 13, 2005

Doing the Legislature's Job. Lonnie Brown, The Ledger, Sept. 21, 2005

Florida must make anti-smoking efforts a priority again. Mark Mahoney - My View, Tallahassee Democrat, Sept. 13, 2005

Progress against teen smoking drifts away, survey of 9,296 indicates. Liz Freeman, Naples Daily News, Sept. 11, 2005

Tallahassee Democrat news article about youth smoking. Nancy Cook Lauer, Tallahassee Democrat Capitol Bureau Chief, Sept. 3, 2005

Support continuing decline of tobacco use. Ft. Myers News-Press, Opinion, Aug. 27, 2005

Restore antismoking ads, A Times Editorial, Published August 8, 2005

Legislature has blown its chance. Ft. Myers News-Press, Opinion, Jul. 28, 2005

Where there's smoke... Legislature's decisions sparked drive for anti-tobacco amendment, Herald Tribune, Article published Jul 26, 2005

Fed up with program cuts, anti-smoking groups appeal to voters, By DAVID ROYSE, Associated Press Writer, July 20, 2005