The Year in Tobacco Control

Ground both gained and lost in the battle against tobacco use

(January 19, 2012)—

The American Lung Association’s tenth annual State of Tobacco Control report chronicles a frustrating mix of progress and backsliding as it monitors progress on key tobacco control policies at the federal and state levels and assigns grades to assess whether laws are effectively protecting people from the terrible health burden caused by tobacco use. How did New England fare this year?  Read on to find out.

State of Tobacco Control 2012 found that over the past year, most states’ efforts to protect children and curb tobacco-related disease have been, in a word, abysmal. The federal government fared significantly better by making major advances in 2011, but still squandered one significant opportunity to save lives.  

New England report card
Overall, New England received an undesirable report card, with five of the six states receiving at least one grade of “F”. Even Maine, whom the American Lung Association deemed “The Most Quit-Friendly State” back in December, received varying grades, ranging from “A” under the category of Smokefree Air to “D” under Tobacco Prevention and Control Spending.

States fail to progress
Across America, states regressed in 2011:

  • Not one state passed a comprehensive smokefree workplace law, and Nevada took a step backward, weakening its current law. 
  • Tobacco prevention and quit-smoking programs in a number of states were stung by funding cuts or were virtually eliminated, including a highly successful program in Washington State.
  • Higher cigarette prices keep children from taking up smoking, but for the first year since the American Lung Association began releasing the State of Tobacco Control report in 2003, not one state has raised its tobacco tax significantly.

Federal government makes gains
In contrast to most states, the federal government earned high marks for its steps to implement strong and effective action to protect people from tobacco. This progress was multi-tiered and included:

  • beginning to offer comprehensive quit-smoking benefits to millions of federal employees and their families.
  • announcing that the federal government will give states partial reimbursement for quit-smoking counseling services furnished to Medicaid enrollees through state toll-free numbers called quitlines.  
  • The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) unveiling new graphic warning labels for cigarette packs, which will include the national 1-800-QUIT-NOW telephone number to call for help with quitting.

However, the Obama Administration squandered a historic opportunity to help millions of American smokers quit when it failed to define the essential health benefit for states to implement when state health exchanges begin in 2014. Instead of requiring one, comprehensive cessation benefit across the nation, each state – many of which already have a poor track record of helping smokers quit – will determine their individual required benefit. This decision will likely lead to greater confusion and ultimately reduce smokers’ access to life-saving benefits that also save state healthcare systems money. Click here to see the complete federal report.

A decade of progress at risk
Tobacco use continues to reap a devastating toll.  Smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death in New England, and across the nation, as 443,000 people die each year in this country from smoking.  It also drains the United States economy of an enormous sum; more than $193 billion annually in healthcare costs and lost productivity.

In the 10 years since the first American Lung Association State of Tobacco Control report, we’ve seen great strides in protecting our children from tobacco and helping smokers quit.  But declining trends over the last three years show that this hard-earned progress could be undone.

Nationally, youth and adult smoking rates declined slowly over the past decade, but the decline has been inconsistent and could stall. The tobacco industry is fighting back aggressively, in both legislatures and the courts. They are marketing new lines of smokeless tobacco products that encourage people to sustain their nicotine addiction, rather than quitting. State budgets are stressed, and more and more states are spending less to control tobacco use, despite the knowledge that these cuts will cost them more in healthcare costs in the short and long term.

You can help stop the backsliding in tobacco control that puts more and more Americans at risk. Click here to learn how you can get involved and support our fight for healthy air and healthy lungs in New England.

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About the American Lung Association in New England

The American Lung Association of New England is part of the American Lung Association, the oldest voluntary health organization in the U.S. Established in 1904 to combat tuberculosis, our mission today is to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease. The focus is on air quality, asthma, tobacco control, and all lung disease. ALANE serves CT, MA, ME, NH, RI and VT.