The battle over the future and funding of the Ohio Tobacco Prevention Foundation continues, with the American Legacy Foundation suing the state and a state judge freeing up $10 million to continue tobacco-prevention programs.

The Toledo Blade reported June 25 that Common Pleas Court Judge David Fais released a portion of the $270 million in frozen Ohio Tobacco Prevention Foundation money, while the American Legacy Foundation is asking the court to hold the state to its services contract with the Ohio foundation.

The Tobacco Prevention Foundation inked a deal with Legacy after state government officials moved to divert $230 million of its assets to help fund an economic-stimulus package. State lawmakers later shut down the tobacco-prevention charity.

A portion of the released funds will support the Ohio Quits smoking-cessation hotline, while $2.1 million will fund a new tobacco-prevention grant program.