IT’S ALMOST LIKE THE MASSIVE TAX REVENUES THEY GET FROM TOBACCO GIVE THEM A CONFLICT OF INTEREST: Federal, state governments failed to prevent smoking, report says. On the 20th Anniversary of the tobacco settlement, we hear this: “In fiscal 2019, states have received $27.3 billion in funds from the agreement, yet none of the money has gone to tobacco prevention programs in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.” It’s as if the whole thing was just a big shakedown.