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(NPN) Anti-smoking groups say South Dakota children will benefit if Congress passes President Obama’s proposal to expand early childhood education and fund it with an increase in federal tobacco taxes. 

According to the Campaign for Tobacco-Free children, in South Dakota, the initiative would provide 796 more children from low- and moderate-income families with access to high-quality preschool in the first year alone and prevent 7,500 children from becoming addicted smokers. This is according to a report released Wednesday by nine organizations that focus on early learning and/or public health.

The groups also claim that additional South Dakota benefits would include:

  • Additional funds provided for preschool in the first year: $6.5 million
  • Residents saved from premature,smoking-caused deaths: 3,700

In his fiscal year 2014 budget, President Obama proposed to expand federal funding for early education programs, paid for with a 94-cent per pack increase in the federal cigarette tax and a proportional increase in the federal tax on other tobacco products. 

"Taken together, these two measures would help ensure a future of smart, healthy children nationwide and in every state," the report concludes.

The report can be found at www.smarthealthykids.org.  It details the educational and health benefits of the President's proposal nationwide and in every state.

Nationwide, the President's proposal would ensure that two million children in low- and moderate-income families have access to high-quality preschool and prevent 1.7 million children from becoming addicted smokers.

Organizations releasing the report are the National Women's Law Center, Save the Children, MomsRising, Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, Campaign for Tobacco-Free children, American Heart Association, American Lung Association and American Academy of Pediatrics.

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