New Report: Mississippi Lags Behind Nation in Tobacco Control Policies; Increasing Funding for Tobacco Prevention and Quit Smoking Programs Could Save Thousands of Lives
Mississippi receives all failing grades for tobacco control policies in American Lung Association’s annual “State of Tobacco Control” report; Organization outlines steps to prevent death and diseaseJACKSON, MS | January 29, 2025
According to the American Lung Association’s “State of Tobacco Control” report, released today, Mississippi continues to lag behind the rest of the country in policy efforts to prevent and reduce tobacco use. The state received all failing grades in this year’s report.
Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death and disease in Mississippi and across the country, claiming the lives of 5,410 state residents each year. 15.5% of adults in Mississippi currently use cigarettes, which is higher than the national average. 27.2% of adults use tobacco products, which includes e-cigarettes. Additionally, 21.6% of high school students use tobacco products, potentially setting kids up for a lifetime of nicotine addiction.
In the 2025 “State of Tobacco Control” report, Mississippi received the following grades:
- Funding for State Tobacco Prevention Programs – Grade F
- Strength of Smokefree Workplace Laws – Grade F
- Level of State Tobacco Taxes – Grade F
- Coverage and Access to Services to Quit Tobacco – Grade F
- Ending the Sale of All Flavored Tobacco Products – Grade F
The findings underscore the need for Mississippi lawmakers to focus on increasing funding for tobacco prevention and quit smoking programs to reduce the overwhelming human and financial burden of tobacco use.
Despite receiving $206,200,000 from tobacco settlement payments, tobacco taxes and other state funding, Mississippi only funds tobacco control efforts at 27.5% of the level recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The Lung Association urges Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves and the legislature to increase funding for tobacco prevention and guarantee access to comprehensive quit tobacco coverage with no barriers to care for Medicaid recipients.
“The tobacco industry has deployed increasingly aggressive tactics to addict a new generation to tobacco and hinder proven public policies to prevent and reduce tobacco use,” said Calandra Davis, Mississippi advocacy director at the Lung Association. “Here in Mississippi, 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.”
Davis added: “This year, our policymakers must focus on increasing funding for tobacco prevention and quit smoking programs, ensuring smokefree protections for all workers and residents with the passage of a comprehensive statewide smokefree law, and guaranteeing access to comprehensive quit tobacco coverage with no barriers to care for Medicaid recipients.”
The “State of Tobacco Control” report, released annually since 2002, evaluates states and the federal government on laws and policies that have been proven to prevent and reduce tobacco use and save lives.
At the national level, 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, including federal grades, and to sign the petition, visit Lung.org/sotc.
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.
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The American Lung Association is the leading organization working to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease through education, advocacy and research. The work of the American Lung Association is focused on four strategic imperatives: to defeat lung cancer; to champion clean air for all; to improve the quality of life for those with lung disease and their families; and to create a tobacco-free future. For more information about the American Lung Association, which has a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator and is a Platinum-Level GuideStar Member, call 1-800-LUNGUSA (1-800-586-4872) or visit: Lung.org. To support the work of the American Lung Association, find a local event at Lung.org/events.
For more information, contact:
Victoria O'Neill
(312) 273-5890
[email protected]
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