Regional Analysis continued...
Region 4: Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia,Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi and Florida
Historically, this has been the most difficult region in which to implement strong tobacco control measures due to the strong influence of the tobacco industry. However, very positive strides were made in 2003. By ballot initiative in 2002, Florida voters amended its constitution to ban smoking in nearly all workplaces. Alabama ended its dubious distinction as the only state without a state law regulating smoking in public places. Georgia more than tripled its tax on cigarettes. Such taxes were openly discussed for the first time in North Carolina and Kentucky. At the local level, Lexington, KY passed a strong smokefree workplace ordinance, the first of its kind in the state.2
Region 4 average cigarette tax: $0.18.
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Florida’s legislature passed legislation to implement a constitutional amendment banning smoking in workplaces, including restaurants. Florida now has one of the strongest smokefree air laws in the country. Alabama, formerly the only state without a statewide law regulating smoking, enacted a very weak law that restricts smoking in public places to designated smoking areas.
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For the first time, southern tobacco-growing states seriously looked at raising tobacco taxes in 2003. Georgia followed Tennessee’s 2002 tax increase to be among the first states in this region to increase the cigarette tax since the 1970s. Georgia more than tripled its tax to $0.37 per pack.
Region 5: Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinoise, Wisconsin and Minnesota
There was little positive movement in the Great Lakes region in 2003. Minnesota is a longtime leader in tobacco control and one of the first states to take on the tobacco industry in court. At the local level Minnesota has enacted strong smokefree workplace ordinances throughout the state. Unfortunately for all its success, it was not enough to protect its model tobacco prevention program from cuts. Indiana received an A for tobacco prevention in the 2002 report, but had their grade lowered to an F due to severe cuts in their tobacco prevention programs. Minnesota’s program was also cut by one-third, lowering their grade from an A in 2002 to a C in 2003.The situation was the same throughout the region with funding reduced in five of six states. After some important tax victories in 2002, no taxes were increased last year.
Region 5 average cigarette tax: $0.76.
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Indiana, with an effective, comprehensive tobacco prevention program was drastically downgraded this year, taking its grade from an A to an F.
Region 6: Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana and New Mexico
Tobacco control received a positive boost in the South Central region. Arkansas leads the pack with an A grade, for the second year in a row, by fully funding its tobacco prevention and control program. In addition, new taxes were enacted in both Arkansas and New Mexico. Oklahoma passed the strongest smokefree air law in the region, and Louisiana partially repealed preemption of local smokefree ordinances. A lot of progress has been made at the local level, with major cities of Texas and New Mexico passing strong smokefree workplace laws.
Region 6 average cigarette tax: $0.50.
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Oklahoma passed a statewide smokefree air law that protects most workers from exposure to secondhand smoke. Louisiana passed a law that partially repealed preemption and allows local control over government worksites.
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New Mexico significantly raised its tobacco tax by $0.70 to $0.91 per pack and Arkansas raised the cigarette tax by $0.25 to $0.59 per pack.
Regional Analysis continued... |
