RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — An annual report by the American Lung Association (ALA) evaluating state and federal policies geared toward lowering tobacco use graded Virginia as failing in its effort almost all the way across the board.
If the grades doled out to Virginia were representative of graduating or being held behind, there’s no doubt the Commonwealth would be repeating a year. The categories measured in the report are indicative of “five areas that have been proven to prevent and reduce tobacco use and save lives,” the ALA said.
Tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable death and disease across the nation and kills 10,310 Virginians each year.
Grades received on the 2023 report
- Funding for State Tobacco Prevention Programs – Grade F
- Strength of Smokefree Workplace Laws – Grade F
- Level of State Tobacco Taxes – Grade F
- Coverage and Access to Services to Quit Tobacco – Grade D
- Ending the Sale of All Flavored Tobacco Products – Grade F
In the report, Virginia policymakers were urged to address tobacco usage through a “comprehensive evidence-based” approach. Some policies include significantly increasing taxes on tobacco products, and requiring tobacco product retailers to get a license for a comprehensive tobacco retail license program with annual renewal of the license and rising penalties for violations.
Currently, 12.4% of Virginia adults are smokers, the ALA reports. The Commonwealth also has more kids smoking than the national average, with 22.5% of high schoolers across the state using tobacco.
“This gives us an important opportunity to improve the health of the Commonwealth through a proven and comprehensive approach which include policies, such as requiring tobacco retailers to obtain a license, tobacco taxes and repealing the tobacco surcharge in healthcare premiums to increase access tobacco cessation services,” said Aleks Casper, Director of Advocacy at the American Lung Association in Virginia.
Despite receiving $425.3 million from tobacco taxes and settlement payments, the report stated Virginia only funds tobacco control efforts at 15% of the level recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
While it relayed that Virginia’s performance was overall one of the worst across the nation, on the upside, the American Lung Association did give Virginia a “thumbs up” for providing residents with comprehensive medications to help them quit tobacco and counseling with minimal barriers to Medicaid employees.
