A “State of Tobacco” report released by the American Lung Association in late January gave Connecticut ‘mixed grades’ on its report card, according to a release from the association. The state’s grades include two ‘F’s, one ‘C’, and 2 ‘B’s for efforts to prevent and reduce tobacco use, particularly among youth.
The two ‘F’s were given for the categories of funding for state tobacco prevention programs and ending the sale of all flavored tobacco products. The Connecticut Legislature considered a bill to ban flavored tobacco vape products during the 2023 legislative session, but ultimately failed to pass the bill.
Lance Boucher, the advocacy coordinator for the eastern division of the American Lung Association, said that tobacco prevention and control programs can be anything from increased tracking of tobacco sales to counter-marketing of tobacco usage.
“We know they target youth with their marketing,” he said. “We know they target minority communities, or the LGBTQ population. So, counter-marketing makes aware the harms of nicotine addiction.”
Representatives of the association also underscored that tobacco accounts for many of the deaths in Connecticut.
“Tobacco use is the leading cause of [preventable] death in Connecticut and across the country and takes the lives of 4,900 state residents each year,” said Ruth Canovi, director of advocacy at the American Lung Association in Connecticut.
“The tobacco industry will do anything to protect their profits at the expense of Connecticut lives, so we must push forward in our efforts to prevent and reduce tobacco use.”
Boucher said that almost 500,000 people in America lose their lives to tobacco-related illnesses annually. These illnesses are a cost for Connecticut through programs like Medicare, too. “The monetary cost is astronomical – with $2.36 billion in annual healthcare costs in Connecticut,” she said.
The report also gave Connecticut a ‘B’ for the strength of smoke-free workplace laws and the level of state tobacco taxes. Finally, Connecticut received a ‘C’ for coverage and access to services to quit tobacco.
Meanwhile, New York received one ‘F’ on its tobacco prevention report card for failing to adequately fund tobacco prevention programs in the state.
According to the report, tobacco use accounts for many of the deaths in New York as well.
“Tobacco use is the leading cause of [preventable] death in New York and across the country and takes the lives of 28,170 state residents each year,” said Trevor Summerfield, director of advocacy for the state’s American Lung Association chapter.
“This year, we are working with state policymakers to preserve funding for the New York state tobacco control program and pass new legislation that would both end the sale of all flavored tobacco products and eliminate loopholes on the sale of e-cigarettes,” he added.
As for banning flavored tobacco products, New York was given a ‘D.’
“We know [they] impact youth greatly, and they are used to hook youth on using tobacco products and becoming addicted to nicotine,” Boucher said. But it’s not just mango-flavored vapes that affect communities in New York and across the country.
“We also know that menthol cigarettes remain a key factor for tobacco-related death and disease in black communities with over 80% of black individuals who smoke using flavored menthol products. We're going to continue to work on the local and state level, knowing that the tobacco industry will try to find the next way to hook kids, and get them addicted,” she said.
The report also gave New York a ‘B’ for both levels of state tobacco taxes and coverage as well as access to services to quit tobacco. The state did receive an ‘A’ for the strength of smoke-free workplace laws.
