The money will be spent to bolster a ten-year school construction program spearheaded by Gov. Bob Taft. Officials say the state tobacco trust fund has enough cash to maintain current prevention and treatment services.

Tobacco-control advocates question the wisdom of draining the fund, since earlier in the month the legislature claimed there would be a surplus to balance the budget.

The Tobacco Use and Cessation Trust Fund was created in the wake of the 1998 nationwide tobacco settlement.