Problem/Objective: Since settling with the tobacco industries in 1997, Mississippi has achieved major milestones in tobacco prevention and control. As one of the few states that spent the recommended amount of funding on tobacco prevention and control efforts, the state reported significant changes in social norms and beliefs around tobacco use, reductions in prevalence rates among youth and policy changes among municipalities and schools. These efforts were effected in 2005 when Governor Haley Barbour, the Mississippi Healthcare Trust Fund and the Division of Medicaid filed a lawsuit to rescind the court order granting the allotment of $20 million to The Partnership for a Healthy Mississippi on the premises that the ruling to allow funds to be paid directly to the organization was unconstitutional. In 2006, the courts ruled in favor of the Governor and the allotments to The Partnership were directed to the Mississippi Healthcare Trust Fund. Mississippi became one of a few states that committed no tobacco settlement or excise tax funds to tobacco prevention and control.

Methods: The Mississippi Tobacco Control Network, a coalition comprised of statewide tobacco control partners, began working to sustain comprehensive tobacco prevention and control by combining resources and seeking nontraditional partners.

Results: The Mississippi Department of Health became the funding source for the quitline and school tobacco prevention programs. Advocates pursued policy changes to fund prevention programs, increase the excise tax and pass smoke-free legislation. Municipalities began to enact comprehensive smoke-free ordinances.

Conclusions: Outcomes of combined strategies, funding sources, prevalence data and policy changes will be presented.