title: Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) spending and tobacco control efforts.
abstract: We investigate whether the distributions to the states from the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) in 1998 is associated with stronger tobacco control efforts. We use state level data from 50 states and the District of Columbia from four time periods post MSA (1999, 2002, 2004, and 2006) for the analysis. Using fixed effect regression models, we estimate the relationship between MSA disbursements and a new aggregate measure of strength of state tobacco control known as the Strength of Tobacco Control (SoTC) Index. Results show an increase of $1 in the annual per capita MSA disbursement to a state is associated with a decrease of -0.316 in the SoTC mean value, indicating higher MSA payments were associated with weaker tobacco control measures within states. In order to achieve the initial objectives of the MSA payments, policy makers should focus on utilizing MSA payments strictly on tobacco control activities across states.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Policy and Management, College of Public Health, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America.
authors.forename: Jayani
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jayawardhana
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Administration and Policy, School of Public & International Affairs, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America.
authors.forename: W David
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Bradford
authors.affiliation: Health Administration & Policy, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, United States of America.
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, United States of America.
authors.forename: Paul J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Nietert
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, United States of America.
authors.forename: Gerard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Silvestri
mesh_terms: D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D015233:Models, Statistical; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013219:State Government; D019460:Tobacco Industry / Q000191:economics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D062789:Tobacco Products / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D014481:United States