Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel announced today that the state has received $49,507,462.34 this week as its annual share of proceeds from a 1998 Master Settlement Agreement with major tobacco companies.
Arkansas voters decided nearly a decade ago to earmark the tobacco settlement funds for a variety of ongoing health, wellness and research programs in the state.
This week’s disbursement brings the state’s total amount of money from the tobacco settlement to $621.4 million since 2001.
“Our state makes wise use of these dollars to enhance the health and welfare of our families and children,” McDaniel said. “These funds provide for vital public health research, as well as tobacco cessation and prevention efforts. In addition, our Medicaid program receives necessary assistance. As someone committed to improving public health, I’m grateful for the ability to be involved in this process.”
McDaniel is co-chairman of the Tobacco Committee of the National Association of Attorneys General. In that role, he oversees compliance of Master Settlement Agreement payments to the states that total about $6 billion annually.
