The Partnership for a Healthy Mississippi's request to maintain some control over $20 million in anti-tobacco money was rejected by a state judge, the Associated Press reported Sept. 12.

The Partnership is appealing to the state Supreme Court an earlier judge's ruling that the money, which comes from the state's share of the 1998 nationwide tobacco settlement, should be spend according to the wishes of state lawmakers, not earmarked for the anti-tobacco group. Meanwhile, however, the group asked another judge to keep the disputed funding in a separate account until the state's high court rules on the case.

But Chancellor Jaye Bradley turned down that request, meaning that the funds will go into the state Health Care Trust Fund, where lawmakers can spend it on programs other than tobacco prevention.

On the other hand, the judge also refused Gov. Haley Barbour's demand that the Partnership surrender all of its unspent money to the Fund.