New Report: Illinois Earns Mixed Grades for Tobacco Control Policies; Experts Recommend Focus on State Funding for Tobacco Prevention

Today, the American Lung Association released the 22nd annual “State of Tobacco Control” report, which finds that Illinois received two A grades, a C grade, and two F grades for efforts to prevent and reduce tobacco use. This year’s report noted the need for Illinois policymakers to focus on state funding for tobacco prevention.

 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.

 “Tobacco use is still the leading cause of preventable death in Illinois and across the country and takes the lives of 18,280 state residents each year. The tobacco industry will do anything to protect their profits at the expense of Illinois lives, so we must push forward in our efforts to prevent and reduce tobacco use,” said Kristina Hamilton, Director of Advocacy at the American Lung Association in Illinois. “This year, we are working with state policymakers to focus on state funding for tobacco prevention.

“Despite receiving more than $1.1 billion from tobacco settlement payments and tobacco taxes, Illinois only funds tobacco control efforts at 10.2% of the level recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Thanks to the efforts of Attorney General Kwame Raoul, Illinois will receive $67.6 million in Juul Labs Inc settlement funds. The Lung Association urges Governor Pritzker, Attorney General Kwame Raoul and the legislature to dedicate all Juul funds to increasing funding for critical tobacco prevention programs.”

Illinois’s Grades
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. In the 2024 report, Illinois received the following grades:

1. Funding for State Tobacco Prevention Programs – Grade F
2. Strength of Smokefree Workplace Laws – Grade A
3. Level of State Tobacco Taxes – Grade C
4. Coverage and Access to Services to Quit Tobacco – Grade A
5. Ending the Sale of All Flavored Tobacco Products – Grade F
    

Federal Grades Overview
This year’s report focuses on recent federal actions, including President Biden’s failure to finalize rules to end the sale of menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars, as well as FDA’s overdue review of all applications for e-cigarette products, including flavors that are popular among youth. Because of the delay on the federal rules to end the sale of menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars, it is even more important for states to enact laws to end the sale of all flavored tobacco products.

The 2024 “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 remains grossly overdue in publishing the final Tobacco 21 regulations as required by statute, which is why it earns an “incomplete.” 

The Lung Association calls on the White House to urgently finalize rules to end the sales of menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars in the U.S. to save lives now. Send an email to President Biden at Lung.org/Stop-Menthol to insist these rules be finalized urgently. To learn more about this year’s “State of Tobacco Control” grades and take action, visit Lung.org/sotc.

Get involved and help the mission of the American Lung Association. The Fight For Air Climb in Oakbrook is coming up on Sunday March 10. Learn more at FightForAirClimb.org/Oakbrook.

*State Funding for Tobacco Prevention Programs grades in “State of Tobacco Control” reflect actions taken by elected officials and do not reflect on the hard work of state tobacco control programs or advocates.

Media Resources:

• B-Roll is available here:
  • Smoking: Broll Smoking. American Lung Association.mp4 | Powered by Box
  • Tobacco Products: Broll TobaccoProducts. American Lung Association.mp4 | Powered by Box
  • E-Cigarettes: Broll Ecigarettes. American Lung Association.mp4 | Powered by Box
• American Lung Association logos are available here: Media | American Lung Association