Some of our worst fears have been realized.

Last year, Minnesota’s leading health organizations, including the American Lung Association, the American Heart Association, the American Cancer Society, the Minnesota Medical Association and the Minnesota Smoke-Free Coalition, voiced their concern to lawmakers that eliminating the Youth Tobacco Endowment was shortsighted and would lead to more kids smoking.

Now, a new study featured in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report finds that since the elimination of the Youth Tobacco Prevention Endowment, awareness of the successful Target Market campaign declined while the percentage of adolescents likely to smoke significantly increased.

The CDC study underscores the need for sustained anti-tobacco messages to keep youth from smoking. As more children enter the 12- to 17-year-old age bracket, they need to hear the anti-tobacco message.

Information collected from surveys of Minnesota youths ages 12 to 17 found that teens were losing awareness of the TM campaign and anti-tobacco message (down from 84.5 percent in July-August 2003 to 56.5 percent during November-December 2003). To see the awareness numbers decrease so significantly after the elimination of the campaign is frustrating.

Prior to its elimination, the Youth Tobacco Prevention Endowment saved 14,000 kids from a lifetime of tobacco addiction, according to the 2002 Minnesota Youth Tobacco Survey conducted by the Minnesota Department of Health. And a report issued by the Bush Administration’s Department of Health and Human Services praised Minnesota for being a national leader with its aggressive and successful tobacco prevention efforts, including the Target Market campaign.

Unlike the state, tobacco companies have not stopped marketing to Minnesota youths. According to the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, the tobacco companies spend $196.7 million per year advertising their products in Minnesota.

We cannot afford to have our youths not hear a counter marketing campaign. To have more young people smoking has negative consequences for all of Minnesota.