New Report Reveals Rhode Island Must Focus on Making Casinos Smokefree to Reduce Death and Disease from Tobacco Use

A new report from the American Lung Association urges Rhode Island lawmakers to focus on ensuring all Rhode Islanders have a smokefree workplace by establishing smokefree casinos to reduce the overwhelming human and financial burden of tobacco use. The 2025 “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. 

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 2025 report, Rhode Island received the following grades: 

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

“In addition to grading Rhode Island’s tobacco control policies, this year’s ‘State of Tobacco Control’ report examines the tobacco industry’s increasingly aggressive actions to addict a new generation to tobacco and hinder proven public policies to prevent and reduce tobacco use. Here in Rhode Island, we are seeing tobacco industry lobbyists at the local level working to stop or weaken proven tobacco control policies. The tobacco industry is also introducing new products that appeal to youth like e-cigarettes that mimic smartphones, kid-friendly flavors and flavored nicotine pouches that are heavily marketed by social media influencers,” said Daniel Fitzgerald at the American Lung Association in Rhode Island. “In 2025, policymakers in Rhode Island must focus on ensuring all Rhode Islanders have a smokefree workplace by establishing smokefree casinos, establishing tax parity for all tobacco products, and fund tobacco control programs at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-recommended level and establishing pharmacists prescribing authority for U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved cessation medication.”

The U.S. Surgeon General has concluded there is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke and the emissions from e-cigarettes are not safe. Passing a comprehensive smokefree law that eliminates smoking and e-cigarette use in all public places and workplaces, including restaurants, bars and casinos, would protect workers across the state from deadly secondhand smoke. In fact, the 2024 Surgeon General report found that nationally, 19,000 people die from secondhand smoke each year.

Federal Grades Overview
The 2025 “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 – Grade: A

The 2025 “State of Tobacco Control” report urges Congress to provide additional funding to the FDA so they can enforce against and remove all illegal e-cigarettes the tobacco industry has introduced to the market. To learn more about this year’s “State of Tobacco Control” grades and sign the petition, visit Lung.org/sotc.

Get involved and help the mission of the American Lung Association. The Fight for Air Climb Providence is coming up on April 19th. Learn more at FightForAirClimb.org/Providence

State 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.