The American Lung Association Releases Annual State of Tobacco Control Report Card
Florida Sees Success in Addressing Tobacco, Room for Improvement
Tallahassee, FL (January 20, 2011)—
The American Lung Association’s State of Tobacco Control 2010 report, released today, shows that Florida received mixed grades on important tobacco issues such as smoking cessation coverage and smokefree air laws. The complete report, including federal and state grades, is available at www.stateoftobaccocontrol.org.
“We are proud of Florida’s hard work in the pursuit of healthy air and healthy lungs,” said Brenda Olsen, chief operating officer for the American Lung Association in Florida. “While there was room for improvement in some areas of the report, we have seen great success in battling tobacco’s deadly addiction in our state and saving the lives of our citizens.”
Since the passage of the Florida Constitutional Amendment allocating at least 15 percent of the tobacco settlement payments to a tobacco prevention program, significant strides have been made regarding adult and youth smoking rates. Since the program began receiving funding in 2007, adult smoking rates have decreased, resulting in approximately 500,000 fewer adult smokers at a time when the national smoking rates have leveled off. Additionally, reductions in adult smoking have resulted in an estimated savings of $1 billion annually in direct health care costs and an estimated $4.2 billion between 2007 and 2009. Finally, youth smoking rates among high school students have continued to decline, from 14.5 percent in 2007 to 13.1 percent in 2010.
Florida received a “B” grade in the area of smokefree air laws, which could be increased to an “A” if local governments were not prohibited from passing ordinances and policies that address their own community needs. For example, school boards are not allowed to protect children from being exposed to tobacco smoke by adopting tobacco-free campuses.
Thanks to Florida’s bold step two years ago passing the tobacco surcharge, the state’s cost per pack is now much closer to the national average of $1.45/pack. The surcharge also provided a much-needed revenue source for the state. Research has shown that increasing the cost of cigarettes not only discourages youth from using tobacco but it also motivates adults to quit. The American Lung Association in Florida is also working to improve tobacco dependency treatment for all Floridians, including state employees and Medicaid recipients.
“We know that providing comprehensive treatment to people with nicotine dependency reduces direct and indirect healthcare costs to the state and their employers, far outweighing the cost to implement these programs and treatment,” Olsen said. “In fact, smoking cessation is one of the most cost-effective wellness initiative employers can undertake.”
State of Tobacco Control 2010 grades states and the District of Columbia on smokefree air laws; cigarette tax rates; tobacco prevention and control program funding; and coverage of cessation treatments and services. Grades are calculated by comparing policies against standards that are based on the most current, recognized scientific criteria for effective tobacco control measures
“It is efforts like these, working together, that help adults in Florida break their addiction to tobacco and prevent youth from ever becoming addicted,” Olsen said. “We must ensure that our citizens who want to quit have the resources to be successful. It’s good for their health and good for the health of Florida.”
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About the American Lung Association in Florida
Now in its second century, the American Lung Association in Florida is the leading organization in the state working to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease. With your generous support, the American Lung Association is “Fighting for Air” through research, education and advocacy. For more information about the American Lung Association in Florida, or to support the work it does, call 1-800-LUNGUSA (1-800-586-4872) or visit www.lungfla.org.
