Pa. Gets 2 Fs on Tobacco Report Card
The American Lung Association report gives Pennsylvania two failing grades.
The American Lung Association says Pennsylvania is not adequately funding programs to protect children and cut back on illnesses related to tobacco use.
This comes as a result the recent release of the State of Tobacco Control 2013 report. This is the 11th year for the report which looks at how states and the federal government are spending their money on tobacco control programs.
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Pennsylvania received the following grades for 2012.
- F in Funding for Tobacco Prevention and Control Programs (11% of CDC recommended spending)
- C in Smokefree Air
- C in Cigarette Taxes ($1.60 per pack)
- F in Cessation Coverage
"Pennsylvania must make it a priority to invest in programs that keep kids off tobacco and to help smokers quit,” says Deb Brown, president and CEO of the American Lung Association of the Mid-Atlantic, in a press release. “That starts with increasing Pennsylvania’s current level of tobacco prevention and cessation funding.”
The American Lung Association estimates tobacco annually
- Causes 20,025 deaths in Pennsylvania
- Costs Pennsylvania $9.4 billion in healthcare costs and lost productivity
- Causes 443,000 deaths in the Unites States
The Lung Association is calling on Pennsylvania to raise taxes on tobacco products other than cigarettes.
“While no state earned an A or B on its report card for cessation, the Affordable Care Act creates new pathways to help smokers quit,” Brown says in a press release. “That is why Pennsylvania must include a cessation benefit in its Essential Health Benefit and Medicaid expansion plans.”
What do you think? Should the state be spending more money on tobacco education programs? Should there be more recources put into cessation programs? Should taxes on tobacco products be raised? Share your thoughts in the comments area below.
MR Otis
10:17 am on Tuesday, January 22, 2013
So make it illegal!!! And btw marijuana has not killed anyone and it's illegal! Stop trying to control people. These adults take their own lives when smoking. Let them. It shouldn't cost all of us more in health costs. Let it start there. If you smoke you won't get coverage. But then again something so harmful should be illegal. Does our gov really have our best interest by not making it illegal or do they just want to suck more finds out of an already stretched out public.
MR Otis
10:22 am on Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Maybe cigarettes should be regulated to only have tobacco in them. What other industry is allowed to put so many harmful chemicals in the bodies of Americans with no out cry? The problem is almost so easy to fix no one can figure it out and the tobacco lobby wants it that way.
Traditional
1:49 pm on Tuesday, January 22, 2013
The article actually talks about funding for early education and programs to keep kids from becoming addicted. Once they have been smoking for a while, you might as well just write them off the books. I wonder what the state is doing with the funding it isn't spending?
Jeepers63
8:00 pm on Wednesday, January 23, 2013
You can not make someone not be addicted. You either have an addictive personality or you don't, it's that simple.
Ann
4:36 pm on Tuesday, January 22, 2013
STOP the madness! No more money! We all know the dangers. People smoke anyway. Our kids had DARE and they still are the worst binge drinkers, they have anti bullying programs and they are the worst bullies, they know the dangers of unprotected sex and drugs etc etc etc...you can not control personal choice! We DON'T need the friggin gov. Always dictating to us what's in our best interest. We know, we just choose to do otherwise. The funniest is all the parenting books and books on raising kids and our society is more screwed up then ever! Government get out of my life!
Traditional
5:06 pm on Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Screw-EM all, let god sort them out!
Anonymous
10:49 pm on Tuesday, January 22, 2013
I agree that it should not be legal to sell a product that is addictive. Yes, Governerment should get out of our lives, but if something is addictive, then it should be illegal. Why are people allowed to make money off of other people's addicitions. Also, more than just the smoker is harmed with the smoke. Smoking inside your car with the windows up and a child in the back is horrible. People are self medicating.
Jeepers63
8:08 pm on Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Making products that are addictive illegal>? How insane is that. That includes, coffee, tea, soda's, chocolate, & sugar to name a few. My mother was addicted to sewing & I am addicted to gardening. hummm
Jill
8:08 pm on Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Caffeine is addictive, sex can be addictive, soda...sugar...prescription meds...where does it stop? How about video games? Where do you draw the line? Dunkin donuts are really addictive...I know they aren't good for you....dangerous road!
Jill
8:10 pm on Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Jeepers63, lol. We are the same page! We were writing the same thing at the same time!
Jeepers63
8:28 pm on Wednesday, January 23, 2013
LOL, right Jill.