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Cigarette Restitution Fund Program

Background

In 2000, the Maryland General Assembly created the Cigarette Restitution Fund (CRF) Program with funds derived from the 1998 Master Tobacco Settlement Agreement with the tobacco industry. The goal of the CRF Program is to implement strategies to reduce the burden of tobacco related disease in Maryland, with a specific emphasis on tobacco use prevention and cessation and cancer prevention, early detection, and treatment. As a result of the CRF Program, Maryland has created focused tobacco-use prevention and cessation programs, cancer prevention, education, and screening programs, cancer research programs, and a strong statewide network of cancer and tobacco local community health coalitions.

The CRF Program is administered by the Family Health Administration within the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. The two main components of the CRF Program are the Tobacco Use Prevention and Cessation Program and the Cancer Prevention, Education, Screening, and Treatment Program. The enabling statute for the CRF Program is Health-General, Title 13, Subtitles 10 and 11.

Health -- General Article, Title 13,
Subtitles 10 and 11 Annotated Code of Maryland

Cancer Prevention, Education, Screening and Treatment Program

Local Public Health Programs

  • Develop clinical guidelines for targeted cancers
  • Fund local jurisdictions to implement cancer prevention, education and screening
  • Conduct regional training and provide assistance

Surveillance and Evaluation

  • Collect standardized data on cancer education,
    screening and diagnosis activities in each jurisdiction
  • Publish biennial Cancer Report
  • Collect, analyze, interpret and disseminate cancer data

Academic Research Centers

  • Fund translational cancer research at Johns Hopkins and University of Maryland
  • Speed cancer research findings to practice.

Tobacco-Use Prevention and Cessation Program

Local Public Health Programs

  • Establish community coalitions to work with counties
  • Fund awareness, prevention and cessation
  • Conduct regional training and provide assistance

Surveillance and Evaluation

  • Collect, analyze and disseminate tobacco data
  • Distribute best practices to local programs

Statewide Programs

  • Provide technical assistance on cessation
  • Manage a statewide quit line and program