State of Tobacco Control Report Card
The American Lung Association in Arizona continues to be a leader in protecting Arizonans from the deadly effects of tobacco use. In 2009, Arizona’s legislative session was severely hindered by budget strife that was not resolved until early September. Even with the passage of the budget, Gov. Jan Brewer and Arizona legislators concede that there is still much work to be done to deal with the huge shortfall that the state is currently facing.
During the 2009 legislative session, the American Lung Association in Arizona focused its efforts on supporting two important pieces of legislation. The first was Senate Bill 1327, which attempted to limit the sale of tobacco products through self-service displays to retail shops that only served adult clientele. The second, House Bill 2004, sought to prohibit inmates from possessing tobacco products while also banning the sale of tobacco in state correctional facilities. Unfortunately, due to the budget acrimony that enveloped the Arizona legislature throughout the entire session, neither bill passed.
On the smokefree air front, we are pleased to report on the continued success of Arizona’s statewide smokefree workplace law, Smoke-Free Arizona, which was passed by the voters in November of 2006. The American Lung Association in Arizona continues to work closely in partnership with the Arizona Department of Health Services to ensure that the law is properly and consistently enforced throughout the state.
The most exciting development in the past year was contained in the release of data on adult smoking rates from the 2008 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. The survey, conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, showed that Arizona’s adult smoking rate dropped from 19.7 percent in 2007 to 15.9 percent in 2008. This represents a 20 percent reduction, which moved Arizona from the 25th lowest adult smoking rate in the country to tied for seventh—with Connecticut—in one year’s time.
We are very proud of these accomplishments. Clearly, the changes in statewide tobacco control policy that have been implemented over the past few years, including the increase in tobacco taxes, continue to have a positive effect on the health of all Arizonans.
Click here to view Arizona’s report.
For the full report or to view reports from other areas in the United States, click here.
