Lung Health News, Spring / Summer 2005
California’s smoke-free air and youth access policies earned the state two A grades, but its tobacco control and prevention spending and cigarette tax earned it an F and C respectively in the American Lung Association’s State of Tobacco Control 2004 report released on January 6. The annual report card shows California as one of only six states in the country to provide comprehensive protection from the harmful effects of secondhand smoke.
But when it comes to the tobacco tax, California is 22nd among other states at 87 cents per pack. California also spends well below the level recommended by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ($90 million compared to the recommended minimum of $165 million) on tobacco prevention and control despite the overwhelming evidence these programs save lives.
