Pennsylvania Highlights

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

During the 2025 legislative session, the Lung Association and partners continued a comprehensive statewide effort to educate legislators and the public on the importance of tobacco control programs and their necessity to further reduce tobacco use. A successful day at the Capitol was held with over 700 participants across the Commonwealth discussing the necessity of sustaining robust funding for Pennsylvania's tobacco prevention program and closing loopholes in the Clean Indoor Air Act. *At the time of this article, Pennsylvania has yet to pass a FY 25/26 budget. The American Lung Association and advocates continue to ask lawmakers for level funding with no reductions.

Efforts to close loopholes in the Clean Indoor Air Act, which would prohibit smoking in virtually all Pennsylvania workplaces, including bars and casinos, successfully advanced in 2025. The legislation passed out of the House Health Committee with broad support. As 2025 was the first year of Pennsylvania's two-year session, the American Lung Association, health partners, advocates and casino workers continue to educate the legislature on the importance of the bill. The message is clear: there is no safe exposure to secondhand smoke or aerosol, there is no ventilation system that can remove the dangers of secondhand smoke, and no one should have to choose between their health and their paycheck. The coalition will continue to work with lawmakers and workers to advance this legislation in 2026.

Another policy priority for the Lung Association is increasing tobacco taxes and equalizing rates across all tobacco products – a proven policy to reduce tobacco use. If the cigarette tax alone was raised, not only would Pennsylvania's projected annual revenue increase, but thousands of lives would be saved. Furthermore, more funds could be generated, and additional lives could be protected if tobacco tax rates were equalized across all tobacco products, including non-cigarette tobacco products such as cigars and e-cigarettes. This would also help prevent youth from initiating or switching use due to an uneven tobacco tax regime.

The American Lung Association will continue to work with our partners in 2026 to educate lawmakers and the public on the importance of enacting proven policies to prevent and reduce tobacco use such as properly funding tobacco prevention and cessation programs, removing exemptions from the state Clean Indoor Air Act, and increasing tobacco taxes and equalizing rates across all tobacco products.