Annual American Lung Association Report Card Gives State High Marks for Tobacco Control Initiatives: One of Best Scores in the Nation

Vermont scored the following grades in the annual American Lung Association?s State of Tobacco Control 2007 report:
Tobacco Prevention and Control Spending B
Smokefree Air A
Cigarette Tax B
Youth Access Laws A

The annual American Lung Association report card grades each of the 50 states on the four key tobacco control policies noted above.

Grading for tobacco prevention spending is based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention?s 1999 Best Practices for Comprehensive Tobacco Control Programs, which recommended that Vermont spend $7.9 million per year on tobacco control.

Last October, the CDC updated Best Practices with new investment recommendations for Vermont?s tobacco control program that reflects CDC?s best judgment of what Vermont should spend to implement a comprehensive tobacco control program. The new recommendation is that $15.9 million should be spent annually in Vermont on comprehensive tobacco prevention and cessation. CDC estimates that if all states funded their tobacco control programs at the recommended level of investment for five years, it would result in five million fewer smokers nationally.
Smokefree air grades reflect the need for everyone to be protected from the hazards of secondhand smoke. The state?s ?A? reflects the smokefree law that was implemented.

Increasing cigarette taxes prevent kids from starting to smoke and motivate adults to quit. Studies show that for every 10 percent increase in the cost of a pack of cigarettes, there is a seven percent decline in youth consumption. Currently the average state cigarette tax nationwide is $1.11 per pack, an increase of about 11 cents over last year. Vermont?s ?B? reflects a cigarette tax of $1.79 per pack. On July 1, 2008, the tax will increase to $1.99 per pack.

Vermont?s ?A? for youth access reflects enactment and enforcement of policies that restrict the sale and distribution of tobacco products to minors. The tobacco companies are launching new products such as Camel No. 9 with pink and green packaging, which clearly target young girls and teens. They also continue to sell candy-flavored cigarettes.
Tobacco use remains the leading preventable cause of disease and death in Vermont. Studies show that states that have made the appropriate investment have experienced a reduction in smoking rates and prevented children from ever starting. Failure to invest in a comprehensive plan results in ongoing high medical costs for the state. For every $1 spent on prevention and cessation, $14 is saved on medical costs. In 2007, the Coalition for a Tobacco Free Vermont was successful in advocating for an increased tobacco program budget funded with Master Settlement dollars, bringing the total for FY 2008 to over $5.22 million. This effort ranks Vermont in 16th place among the 50 states in expenditures for tobacco control.

The American Lung Association has helped millions of American quit smoking through our Lung Helpline at 1-800-LUNG USA and through our smoking cessation programs. Our work has resulted in smokefree environments in Vermont and across the U.S.
The full State of Tobacco Control 2007 report can be viewed at lungvt.org
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