New Report Reveals Washington Could Do More to Help Smokers Quit

(December 7, 2011)—

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:        
Contact: Cheryl McDonald 
(509) 484-0374
cmcdonald@lungmtpacific.org                   

New Report Reveals Washington’s State Government Could Do More to Help Smokers Quit

Seattle, WA – Most states, including Washington, are falling far short of providing the help that millions need to quit smoking, according to the American Lung Association’s “Helping Smokers Quit: Tobacco Cessation Coverage 2011” report.  It calls on federal and state policymakers to make quit-smoking services an urgent priority to help citizens live longer and more productive lives. 

“We congratulate the federal government and the few states that are making important progress in this life-and-death effort,” said Renée Klein, President and CEO of the American Lung Association of the Mountain Pacific. “Washington joins the majority of states that are failing to do enough to help smokers quit.” 

For the first time since launching the annual report in 2008, the Lung Association identifies the five most quit-friendly and the five least quit-friendly states based on the coverage of quit smoking programs and treatments available in each state. The five most quit-friendly states are Maine, North Dakota, Delaware, Oklahoma and Wyoming.  The five least quit-friendly states are Georgia, Louisiana, Alabama, Maryland and New Jersey.

Washington’s decline is attributable to state budget cuts to both the state tobacco quit line and state funding for tobacco prevention and control.

Prior to the July 2011 elimination of the state-funded tobacco quit line, all residents of Washington had access to services, including phone-based counseling and in many situations, free Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT). As a result of budget cuts, quit line services are now only available to a small segment of the population: those with insurance benefits, including Medicaid, that cover phone-based tobacco cessation counseling. One short-term exception is King County residents, who still have access to free counseling through March 2012, due to a federal grant.

The funding cut has created a void in service availability for those with the greatest need – including state residents without health insurance. In fact, Washington is the only state in the nation that doesn’t provide a quit line service for uninsured residents. Since the cut, about 1,000 residents per month are been turned away from quit line services. These individuals are ready to take a step towards quitting but are unable to receive the help they need.

Despite greater public understanding about the health risks of smoking, 443,000 people nationwide and 7,600 in Washington still die each year from tobacco-related illnesses and secondhand smoke exposure.  In addition, state spending on tobacco prevention amounts to only a tenth of one percent of the amount that is taken in by tobacco settlement payments and tobacco taxes.

“By not providing all smokers help to quit, the U.S. is missing out on longer, happier, more productive lives and economic improvements,” said Klein. “Washington cannot afford the economic and health consequences of failing to make it a priority to help smokers quit.”

“Helping Smokers Quit: Tobacco Cessation Coverage 2011” is available at www.Lung.org.

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About the American Lung Association in Washington
The American Lung Association in Washington is a non-profit, voluntary public health organization, working to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease in Washington. Our programs focus on the areas of asthma, clean air, tobacco prevention and lung disease.

For more information about the American Lung Association in Washington or to support the work it does, call: (206) 441-5100 or visit: www.alaw.org.