Key Findings: Conclusion

Many states are failing to use the legislative solutions at their disposal to protect their citizens from the harmful effects of tobacco. States are failing to use funds from the tobacco settlement to finance comprehensive tobacco prevention and cessation programs. States are failing to pass adequate smokefree
laws to protect the health of their citizens. States are failing to pass tobacco taxes that will deter people, including kids, from smoking. And states are failing to pass laws that keep tobacco out of the hands of our nation’s youth.

Citizens should be outraged that their elected officials have not done more to protect them from tobacco. More than $240 billion dollars over 25 years was made available to states as result of the landmark tobacco litigation. But despite fervent promises to prevent youth smoking, the vast majority of
states have missed the opportunity to fund comprehensive tobacco programs.

But amid the bad news, there are signs of progress. These include Delaware’s landmark Clean Indoor Air law, Maine’s success in reducing youth tobacco use, Mississippi’s comprehensive approach to smoking prevention and cessation, states with innovative local ordinances that protect their citizens from secondhand smoke, states that have managed to maintain funding for tobacco prevention and control programs despite worsening budget woes and the large number of states that raised their tobacco taxes in 2002.

Great success has been seen in virtually every region of the country on specific policy goals, except the
Southeast, where the tobacco industry continues its longtime influence over state legislators and governors.
Elsewhere, big and small states have received “A” grades for their laws, which were passed by Democrats and Republicans, liberals and conservatives. Unfortunately, the other side of the ledger has comparable diversity; we see multiple “F” grades in a wide variety of states.

Every state has a new opportunity to make progress in protecting the health of their citizens in 2003. The American Lung Association State of Tobacco Control 2002 report sets a high—but necessary—bar. The American Lung Association knows that only the toughest laws will help us achieve our mission to prevent lung disease and promote lung health. The tragedy of tobacco addiction, and the disability, disease and death it causes will not be resolved with a halfhearted response consisting of partial measures and weak policy. The magnitude of the problem—over 440,000 premature deaths each year; an estimated 5,500 young people taking their first puff each day and over half becoming daily smokers; illnesses including emphysema, chronic
bronchitis, lung cancer, asthma, heart disease and a long list of others—requires strong measures. This report indicates how much work remains.

The American Lung Association is committed to this fight. The organization was founded in 1904 to combat
tuberculosis, decades before antibiotics made TB a curable disease. For 50 years the Lung Association has fought air pollution and its devastating impact on our communities. More recently, we have taken the lead in responding to the dramatic increase in asthma. The Association’s commitment to tobacco control remains stronger than ever. With TB, it was learned that using the right tools and securing political will can tame a horrible scourge. When the political will is diminished, the scourge returns. But there is a crucial difference in our current fight: tobacco, unlike TB, has a strong lobby supporting it. (Take Action Now - contact your Governor to fight for strong tobacco control legislation!)