Lung Association Praises Feds on Tobacco Prevention, Chides States

The American Lung Association’s annual tobacco-prevention report card cited some “major strides” made by the federal government in 2009 but condemned the many states that cut funding for tobacco-control programs last year.

The State of Tobacco Control 2009 report (PDF) cited the passage of a law giving the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulatory power over tobacco products as one of the “major and meaningful steps” the federal government took to fight tobacco use. The group also praised Congress for raising the federal tobacco tax.

However, the federal government was faulted for its failure to ratify the international Framework Convention on Tobacco Control treaty and for lax efforts on smoking-cessation programs.

States also got credit for raising tobacco taxes and passing smokefree laws, but 10 states and the District of Columbia slashed funding for tobacco prevention programs in the midst of the economic crisis. Alabama, Kentucky, Missouri, South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia all received “F” grades on the report card, which took into account states’ efforts in the areas of tobacco taxation, smokefree spaces, tobacco prevention and control, and smoking-cessation treatment.