Ohio Highlights
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Tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable death and disease in the United States and in Ohio. To address this enormous toll, the American Lung Association calls for the following actions to be taken by Ohio's elected officials:
- Increase the cigarette tax by $1.50 per pack and establish tax parity across all tobacco products;
- Defend the state’s smokefree workplace law from rollbacks or added exemptions; and
- Restore the funding for tobacco prevention and cessation programs bringing it closer to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)s recommendation for Ohio.
The Lung Association is supporting legal challenges brought by Columbus and several other municipalities in Ohio to reverse this measure. A decision at the Ohio district court level was favorable to the municipalities and overturned preemption based on home rule provisions in the Ohio state constitution. The case is currently before the Ohio Court of Appeals.
During 2024, efforts to create more indoor smoking establishments in Ohio were proposed but fortunately did not pass. In 2006, Ohioans voted to prohibit smoking in virtually all public places and workplaces. However, tobacco retailers could continue to allow smoking indoors if 80% of their revenue is generated from certain tobacco products. This session House Bill 530 was introduced that reduced that threshold to 15% and made it easier to obtain liquor licenses – essentially returning to smoking in bars. In 2025, the Lung Association will continue to defend the state’s popular smokefree workplace law from being undermined.
Tobacco prevention work continues to be at risk in Ohio as a result of the 50% funding reduction in tobacco prevention and cessation programs in the two-year state budget passed in 2023. These programs are vitally needed to help reduce rates of tobacco use in Ohio, which still remain well above the national average. As the next two-year budget is drafted in 2025, the Lung Association calls on the legislature to continue to increase its investment in tobacco prevention and cessation. Ohio spends only 8% of what is recommended by the CDC for a state of our size. The revenue raised by increasing taxes on tobacco products could help fund further increases in tobacco control and prevention funding.
The American Lung Association will continue to work with our coalition partners to advance tobacco control and prevention policies. As the legislature begins its work in 2025, the Lung Association will continue to grow our coalition to educate policymakers, business leaders and the media of the importance of the Lung Association’s goals to reduce tobacco use and protect public health.
Ohio Facts |
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Healthcare Costs Due to Smoking: | $5,647,310,236 |
Adult Smoking Rate: | 15.00% |
Adult Tobacco Use Rate: | 22.70% |
High School Smoking Rate: | 3.30% |
High School Tobacco Use Rate: | 20.40% |
Middle School Smoking Rate: | 3.10% |
Smoking Attributable Deaths per Year: | 20,180 |
Adult smoking and tobacco use data come from CDC’s 2023 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System; adult tobacco use includes cigarettes, smokeless tobacco and e-cigarettes. High school smoking and tobacco use rates are taken from the 2021 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System. Middle school smoking rate is taken from the 2021 Ohio Youth Tobacco Survey.
Health impact information is taken from the Smoking-Attributable Mortality, Morbidity and Economic Costs (SAMMEC) software. Smoking-attributable deaths reflect average annual estimates for the period 2005-2009 and are calculated for persons aged 35 years and older. Smoking-attributable healthcare expenditures are based on 2004 smoking-attributable fractions and 2009 personal healthcare expenditure data. Deaths and expenditures should not be compared by state.
Health impact information is taken from the Smoking-Attributable Mortality, Morbidity and Economic Costs (SAMMEC) software. Smoking-attributable deaths reflect average annual estimates for the period 2005-2009 and are calculated for persons aged 35 years and older. Smoking-attributable healthcare expenditures are based on 2004 smoking-attributable fractions and 2009 personal healthcare expenditure data. Deaths and expenditures should not be compared by state.
Ohio Information
Learn more about your state specific legislation regarding efforts towards effective Tobacco Control.