And the winner for worst misuse of tobacco money is ...

AMA Leader Commentary. By Richard F. Corlin, MD. Aug. 20, 2001.

AMA LEADER COMMENTARY

A few words about current events in medical practice

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A message to all physicians from AMA President Richard F. Corlin, MD.

It's time again for the annual Golden Butt Award, an eight-inch high trophy of a bent cigarette butt, spray-painted gold, mounted on a block of wood inscribed with the name and affiliation of the winner.

The ceremony conferring this honor differs somewhat from what we're familiar with from the Oscars, the Tonys, the Emmys and so on. Those ceremonies feature a gala event with parties, beautifully dressed men and women, limousines, red carpets and a lot of photographers memorializing the people who accept the awards, giving thanks to the "little people" who helped them win.

The Golden Butt Award is different. The nominees are mostly state and local politicians who keep their heads down, and hope they won't be noticed by the committee that gives out these awards. They'd prefer to escape detection for their less-than-noble actions.

You see, the Golden Butt Award is conferred upon the state or municipal government organization that commits the worst misuses of its portion of the tobacco settlement award for the year.

It's entertaining to make fun of some of the ways the tobacco settlement money has been misused -- and I'll get into that in a moment. But behind all the laughter is a very serious problem that we as physicians have to demand be changed. And that is, many state and local officials are looking on this source of money from the tobacco settlement account as simply a windfall that they can use to make their lives easier and allow them an expedient way of paying off other government debts. [...]