Attorney General Mike Moore has had many missions in his career — but his latest is perhaps his most important.

Moore, one of the key folks who helped states win a huge settlement against tobacco companies, is upset the money may used to fund such things as tax breaks and highway construction.

The entire point of the tobacco lawsuits was to get back some of the billions of dollars that states pay each year caring for people whose illness related to their smoking cigarettes.

Moore thinks that since the case hinged on health issues, it’s only logical the money from the $246 billion settlement be used to improve the public health or to prevent our children from smoking.

Instead politicians bent on pleasing the taxpayers are threatening to toss away that settlement money frivolously.

After spending years working on the tobacco lawsuits, Moore has reason to be upset by this misuse of what is now public funds.

Moore took his gripe to a group of respiratory therapists this week — and who better to understand the impact of smoking on a person’s lungs than healthcare professionals.

The tobacco money is a one-time thing.

It is highly unlikely our state, or any of the others involved in the lawsuits, will ever again see such a huge settlement fall into our laps. Our legislators need to commit to spend all of the settlement money toward making an actual change in the future of our state and its residents.

We urge all of our legislators not to throw away the tobacco money on just any old project simply because the money is available.

Consider it a gift, and use the money as an investment in our future.