Settling Things: Dr. John Ahlen

Twenty-five years ago, with billions of dollars set to begin flowing to states as part of a long-term settlement agreement with U.S. tobacco companies, Arkansas bucked a trend. While many states were poised to commit those funds to a wide range of purposes, sometimes unrelated to health care entirely, communities and public health leaders across Arkansas, including those here at ACHI, rallied together to ensure that the state's allotment was used solely to fund much-needed health programs. The result was the Tobacco Settlement Proceeds Act of 2000, which established seven programs to help improve the health of Arkansans. To learn how these programs have impacted our state, we’re joined on this episode of the Wonks at Work podcast by Dr. John Ahlen, retired president of the Arkansas Science and Technology Authority, who served on the Arkansas Tobacco Settlement Commission from 2001 to 2013.