Delaware Highlights

Tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable death and disease in the United States and in Delaware. To address this enormous toll, the American Lung Association calls for the following actions to be taken by Delaware's elected officials:

The 2025 legislative session was the first year of the 153rd General Assembly of Delaware's two-year session. In 2025, the American Lung Association in Delaware along with other public health partners were successful in maintaining the increase in critical funding for tobacco prevention and cessation.

During the 2025 session House Bill 215 was introduced which would increase the cigarette tax by $1.50 per pack and increase the tax on other tobacco products including nicotine pouches and electronic cigarettes. The American Lung Association strongly supported this bill and it will continue to be a priority as we move through the 2026 session.

Also, during the 2025 session, a bill was introduced which would create an electronic smoking device registry in Delaware. The Lung Association opposed this bill as these bills create an unnecessary burden on the state, have no proven public health impacts and are an industry way to divert attention away from proven public health policies. The Lung Association encouraged focus on evidence-based tactics such as funding for tobacco prevention and cessation and increasing the tobacco tax. The registry bill did not receive the required hearing due to advocacy from the Lung Association and its partners.

Another important tool in fighting tobacco use in Delaware is much needed funding for tobacco prevention and cessation. The Delaware Health Fund is where 1998 tobacco Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) dollars received by the state have been directed since soon after the MSA was settled. Delaware has been one of the few states to largely keep promises made at the time and use the money for health-related purposes.

Total tobacco prevention and cessation funding, which comes from this fund, reflected a $2.5 million sustained increase due to advocacy from the Lung Association at approximately $9.9 million in fiscal year 2026. However, this amount of funding is still below the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's recommended level of $13 million. The Lung Association believes funding for this vital program needs to continue to be increased, especially considering the continued high youth use of electronic cigarettes and the introduction of new tobacco products that are entering the market.

In 2026, the American Lung Association in Delaware will continue to educate lawmakers and identify champions in the legislature and at the grassroots level to fight tobacco and advance our goals which include increasing the current tobacco tax, creating greater parity among other tobacco products and protecting funding for tobacco prevention and control programs.