January 25, 2011 - A report card from the American Lung Association (ALA) gives the U.S government low or failing grades on their anti-smoking programs thus far. The ALA found that most states lack sorely in efforts to get people to stop smoking or help them quit. The U.S. Federal Drug Administration outscored the federal government, earning a ‘B’ for its anti-smoking efforts, while the national government racked in one “C” and two “D’s” for their failure to cover smoking cessation programs, lack of federal tax on cigarettes, and the failure to ratify the international Framework Convention on Tobacco Control treaty. States were even worse off, failing to use revenue from tobacco taxes and settlements to address tobacco issues and instead using it to balance budgets. Forty states and the District of Columbia received at least one “F” for lack of funding in tobacco control programs and for not making smoking cessation part of Medicaid benefits. Not one state received straight “A’s.”

For more information, please see:  http://www.lungusa.org/about-us/our-impact/top-stories/sotc-2011-states.html