CHICAGO, Jan. 25,
2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Lung Association's
21st annual "State of Tobacco Control" report, released
today, reveals the states with the best and worst policies to
prevent and reduce tobacco use, and finds dramatic differences in
the strength of states' tobacco control laws.
The new report finds that the states doing the best to put in
place proven tobacco control policies are California, Maine, Massachusetts and the District of Columbia, while the states with
the most need to enact policies to reduce the burden of tobacco use
are Alabama, Mississippi, North
Carolina and Texas. The new
report also shows new action at the federal level to prevent youth
tobacco use, which resulted in improved federal grades.
The "State of Tobacco Control" report evaluates
state and federal policies on actions taken to
eliminate tobacco use and recommends proven-effective
tobacco control laws and policies to save lives. These
policies are critical, as tobacco use remains the leading
cause of preventable death and disease in America, killing 480,000
people each year. Currently, 16 million Americans live with a
tobacco-related disease.
"Our 'State of Tobacco Control' report shows how widely tobacco
policies vary from state to state. For example, some states still
allow smoking in workplaces like restaurants and bars, while others
have had comprehensive smokefree laws in place for decades. The
policies examined in our report have a direct impact on the health
of state residents," said Harold
Wimmer, President and CEO of the American Lung Association.
"Since no state received all 'A' grades, every state has the
opportunity to improve their tobacco control policies and improve
public health. This is also why federal tobacco control action is
so important. Every person in America deserves the same
protections."
State Grades Overview
The "State of Tobacco Control" report grades states and the
District of Columbia in five areas
that have been proven to prevent and reduce tobacco use and save
lives:
- Strength of Smokefree Workplace Laws – 23 states and
Washington, D.C. received "A"
grades in 2023
- Ending the sale of all flavored tobacco products – 45
states received "F" grades in 2023
- Funding for State Tobacco Prevention Programs – 40
states and Washington, D.C.,
received "F" grades in 2023
- Level of State Tobacco Taxes – 32 states received "F"
grades in 2023
- Coverage and Access to Services to Quit Tobacco – 24
states received "D" grades or worse in 2023
Best Graded States
- California: Tobacco
Program Funding: D, Smokefree Air: A, Tobacco Taxes: B, Access to
Cessation: B, Flavored Tobacco Products: B
- District of Columbia:
Tobacco Program Funding: F, Smokefree Air: A, Tobacco Taxes: A,
Access to Cessation: B, Flavored Tobacco Products: A
- Maine: Tobacco Program
Funding: A, Smokefree Air: A, Tobacco Taxes: C, Access to
Cessation: A, Flavored Tobacco Products: F
- Massachusetts: Tobacco
Program Funding: F, Smokefree Air: A, Tobacco Taxes: B, Access to
Cessation: B, Flavored Tobacco Products: A
Worst Graded States
- Alabama, Mississippi, North
Carolina and Texas rated
the worst in the nation, scoring Fs in all five categories
- Georgia, Virginia and West
Virginia received 4 Fs and 1 D grade
Federal Grades Overview
The report also grades the federal government on its efforts to
eliminate tobacco use. In 2022, there were new actions taken by the
government to prevent and reduce tobacco use, including 1) proposed
rules to end the sale of menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars, 2)
Congress passing a law requiring the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) to regulate tobacco products made with
synthetic nicotine, and 3) increased federal enforcement of the
Tobacco Control Act. In one example from last October,
the U.S. Department of Justice announced that it filed
complaints for permanent injunctions in federal district courts
against six e-cigarette manufacturers on behalf of the FDA.
More enforcement actions by the Justice Department and FDA will be
needed in 2023 to reduce the explosion of illegal, flavored
e-cigarettes on the market that continue to addict the country's
children.
As a result of these steps forward, the federal government's
grade for "Federal Regulation of Tobacco Products" improved from a
"D" grade last year, to a "C" grade in the 2023 report.
The 2023 "State of Tobacco Control" report grades the federal
government in five areas:
- Federal Government Regulation of Tobacco Products –
Grade C
- Federal Coverage of Quit Smoking Treatments – Grade
D
- Level of Federal Tobacco Taxes – Grade F
- Federal Mass Media Campaigns to Prevent and Reduce Tobacco
Use – Grade: A
- Federal Minimum Age of Sale for Tobacco Products to 21 –
Incomplete*
*FDA is overdue in publishing the final Tobacco 21 regulations
as required by statute, which is why it earns an
"incomplete."
"In 2023, it is imperative that FDA and the Biden administration
finalize its proposed rules to end the sale of menthol cigarettes
and flavored cigars. When finalized, these rules will be the most
significant, lifesaving action FDA has taken in its almost 14-year
history of regulating tobacco products," said Wimmer.
To learn more about this year's "State of Tobacco Control"
grades and take action, visit Lung.org/sotc.
About the American Lung Association
The American Lung Association is the leading organization
working to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung
disease through education, advocacy and research. The work of the
American Lung Association is focused on four strategic imperatives:
to defeat lung cancer; to champion clean air for all; to improve
the quality of life for those with lung disease and their families;
and to create a tobacco-free future. For more information about the
American Lung Association, which has a 4-star rating from Charity
Navigator and is a Platinum-Level GuideStar Member, or to support
the work it does, call 1-800-LUNGUSA (1-800-586-4872) or visit:
Lung.org.
American Lung Association • 55 W. Wacker
Drive, Suite 1150 • Chicago, IL
60601
1331 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Ste. 1425 North • Washington, D.C. 20004
1-800-LUNGUSA (1-800-586-4872) Lung.org
CONTACT: Jill Dale | American
Lung Association
P: 312-940-7001E: Media@Lung.org
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SOURCE American Lung Association