Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden Appointed as Chair of the Board of Directors of Legacy®

WASHINGTON, Sept. 21, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Honorable Lawrence G. Wasden, Attorney General of the State of Idaho, has been appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors of Legacy®, the national public health organization that works to save lives from tobacco-related disease. Legacy was created from the landmark Master Settlement Agreement between the Attorneys General and tobacco companies more than a decade ago to prevent smoking-related disease and death in the United States by reducing youth tobacco smoking and helping adult smokers quit.

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General Wasden has served as one-of-two Attorneys General on the Legacy Board of Directors since 2004. He was elected as Board Chair in May 2011 to guide the organization's strategic goals and objectives at a critical time in public health as the nation sees tremendous change around the regulatory landscape around tobacco.

"Tobacco use continues to be the leading cause of preventable death. Too many of our children are exposed to and consider trying smoking to their detriment and harm," said General Wasden. "Legacy is a recognized leader in the fight to prevent tobacco-related disease and death in our country. I am honored to serve as the Chairman of its Board of Directors. Legacy's purposes and work have never been more relevant or needed than now. I look forward to working hard on behalf of our nation's public health."

General Wasden was elected to a third term on November 2, 2010 serving as Idaho's 32nd – and longest-serving – Attorney General. He is a 22-year veteran of the Office of the Attorney General, previously serving as Chief of Staff to the Attorney General, Deputy Chief of Staff and as a Deputy Attorney General representing the Idaho State Tax Commission.

Wasden's dedication to public service and law enforcement has been recognized by the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) for which he serves as Past President. NAAG awarded General Wasden with their association's highest honor -- the Kelley-Wyman Award -- given to the attorney general who has done the most to achieve the objectives of the association. In 2007, he was selected by the Aspen Institute for a fellowship program honoring public leaders as "the true rising stars" of American politics.

"General Wasden first joined Legacy's board with enthusiasm and a meticulous work ethic. His legal expertise and visionary leadership throughout his service has been invaluable and we are thrilled to have him guide us as Chair through Legacy's next decade," said Cheryl G. Healton, DrPH, president and CEO of Legacy.

Legacy is dedicated to building a world where young people reject tobacco and anyone can quit. Located in Washington, D.C., the national public health organization helps American live longer, healthier lives. Legacy develops programs that address the health effects of tobacco use, especially among vulnerable populations disproportionately affected by the toll of tobacco, through grants, technical assistance and training, partnerships, youth activism, and counter-marketing and grassroots marketing campaigns. The foundation's programs include truth®, a national youth smoking prevention campaign that has been cited as having contributed to significant declines in youth smoking; EX®, an innovative public health program designed to speak to smokers in their own language and change the way they approach quitting; and research initiatives exploring the causes, consequences and approaches to reducing tobacco use. The American Legacy Foundation was created as a result of the November 1998 Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) reached between attorneys general from 46 states, five U.S. territories and the tobacco industry. Visit http://www.legacyforhealth.org/.    

SOURCE Legacy