Oklahoma Flunks Half of Categories
In American Lung Association’s State of Tobacco Control Annual Report Card

Oklahoma Fails to Protect Citizens from Tobacco-Related Disease and Death

(Oklahoma) January 13, 2009 – Oklahoma failed half of the categories in the American Lung Association’s State of Tobacco Control 2008 report released today. This is due to Oklahoma’s failure to enact or implement policies that are proven to prevent death and disease caused by tobacco use.

“Our elected officials must be held accountable for their failure to fully implement policies proven to reduce the death and disease caused by tobacco use,” said Sara Dreiling, Chief Executive Officer of the American Lung Association of the Central States.

The State of Tobacco Control 2008 grades states and the District of Columbia on smokefree air laws; cigarette tax rates; tobacco prevention and control program funding; and coverage of cessation treatments and services. Federal tobacco control efforts are graded on the federal cigarette tax; U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) regulation of tobacco products; federal coverage of tobacco cessation treatments; and the ratification of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (the world’s first public health treaty, which is aimed at reducing tobacco use globally). Grades are calculated by comparing policies against standards that are based on the most current, recognized scientific criteria for effective tobacco control measures.

Tobacco-related illness remains the number-one preventable cause of death in the U.S. and is responsible for an estimated 6,212 deaths in Oklahoma. Tobacco-related illness claims close to 393,000 American lives every year and costs our nation $193 billion annually. Almost 50,000 additional deaths are due to secondhand smoke exposure; the U.S. Surgeon General has declared that there is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke.

“When it comes to tobacco, the stakes are extremely high,” Dreiling said. “Now is the time to tell lawmakers that we want to see change.”

In 2009, the American Lung Association will be aggressively pursuing a statewide comprehensive smokefree law in Oklahoma as a part of the national Smokefree Air Challenge.

Seven states – Alabama, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia scored all F’s. Unlike previous years, no state earned straight A’s in State of Tobacco Control 2008. Not one state earned an “A” for the report’s new category, which measures state coverage of tobacco cessation treatments and services for its Medicaid recipients and state employees. Six states do nothing to help their Medicaid population quit smoking; another six states fail to offer smoking cessation benefits for their employees.

Higher tobacco taxes, prevention and cessation programs funded at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended levels, and comprehensive smokefree air laws are proven to save lives and cut healthcare costs. Many states, however, continued to fail to enact these critical policy measures; instead, state-level political candidates accepted more than $3 million in campaign contributions from the tobacco industry in 2008.

The federal government failed in three of four categories, mustering only a “D” for signing but not ratifying the international tobacco control treaty, and scoring F’s for failing to provide comprehensive cessation treatments; failing to give the FDA authority to regulate tobacco products; and having a cigarette tax that is too low to protect public health. The bill authorizing FDA regulation of tobacco products passed overwhelmingly in the U.S. House of Representatives in July but was not considered by the U.S. Senate before they adjourned for 2008.

The Bush Administration once again neglected to submit the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control to the Senate for ratification, leaving the U.S. unable to participate in international negotiations to implement and enforce the treaty. In the area of smoking cessation, the federal government’s overall coverage is weak. While the Medicare prescription drug benefit covers smoking cessation drugs for its patients, the federal government does not require state Medicaid programs to provide cessation coverage for Medicaid recipients.

“Tobacco use is at the heart of a crisis plaguing America’s health and economy, and it must become a priority for leaders at all levels of our government,” said Dreiling. “Our Smokefree Air Challenge is so important because it will truly save lives.”

Twenty-three states and the District of Columbia have passed comprehensive smokefree workplace laws protecting the public and workers from the dangers of secondhand smoke. The American Lung Association is dedicated to protecting all workers from secondhand smoke through its Smokefree Air Challenge, which is a nationwide movement to eliminate exposure to secondhand smoke in all work and public laces.

Complete report including federal and state grades available at: www.stateoftobaccocontrol.org.

About the American Lung Association: Now in our second century, the American Lung Association is the leading organization working to prevent lung disease and promote lung health. Lung disease death rates are currently increasing while other leading causes of death are declining. With your generous support, the American Lung Association is “Fighting for Air” through research, education and advocacy. For more

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