The American Lung Association just released its 21st annual State of Tobacco Control report.

According to the report, Montana scored high in some areas, receiving an 'A' for smoke-free workplace laws and a 'B' for access to services so people can quit tobacco.

However, funding for state tobacco prevention programs, state taxes on tobacco and ending the sale of flavored tobacco products are areas that need improvement.

"We received $101 million from tobacco revenue, but we're only investing $4.8 (million) of those into tobacco program and quit programs," said Carrie Nyssen, American Lung Association senior director of advocacy. "So this is something we can really take a look at, and it's really an opportunity for the legislature to invest more dollars in these programs instead of less."

According to the American Lung Association, Montana's funding for tobacco control is 42.5% of what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends.

To learn more about Montana's scoring for the "State of Tobacco Control" report, click here.

Click here to view the federal government's scoring for the "Federal Regulation of Tobacco Products" report.

The American Lung Association released the following information:

Montana received three F grades on policies to prevent and reduce tobacco use, according to the American Lung Association’s 21st annual “State of Tobacco Control” report, released today. The state earned overall mixed grades on this year’s report.

The “State of Tobacco Control” report evaluates state and federal policies on actions taken to eliminate tobacco use and recommends proven-effective tobacco control laws and policies to save lives. This is critical, as tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable death and disease in America and takes the lives of 1,570 Montanans each year.

“Montana lags behind when it comes to tobacco control policies. Our adult smoking rates is at 14.4% and 33.5% of high school students use a tobacco product,” said Carrie Nyssen, Senior Director of Advocacy at the American Lung Association in Montana. “This gives us an important opportunity to improve the health of our state through proven policies, such as increasing funding for tobacco prevention and quit programs, and increasing tobacco taxes.”

Montana’s Grades

The “State of Tobacco Control” report grades states and the District of Columbia in five areas that have been proven to prevent and reduce tobacco use and save lives. In the 2023 report, Montana received the following grades:

• Funding for State Tobacco Prevention Programs – Grade F
• Strength of Smokefree Workplace Laws – Grade A
• Level of State Tobacco Taxes – Grade F
• Coverage and Access to Services to Quit Tobacco – Grade B
• Ending the Sale of All Flavored Tobacco Products – Grade F

This year’s report noted the need for Montana policymakers to focus on investing in prevention, especially important given the ongoing youth vaping epidemic. Despite receiving $101,000,000 million from tobacco settlement payments and tobacco taxes, Montana only funds tobacco control efforts at 42.5% of the level recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The Lung Association believes the funds should be used to support the health of our communities, and to prevent tobacco use and help people quit, and not switch to e-cigarettes. These programs are also critical for helping to end tobacco-related health disparities.

Attention should also be given to increasing tobacco taxes. One of the most effective ways to reduce tobacco use, not only among low-income individuals but also for youth, is to significantly increase the tax on all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes. Multiple studies have shown that every 10% increase in the price of cigarettes reduces consumption by about 4% among adults and about 7% among youth

Federal Grades Overview

The report also grades the federal government on their efforts to eliminate tobacco use. This year, there were new steps taken by the government to prevent and reduce tobacco use, including proposed rules to end the sale of menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars, Congress passing a law requiring the FDA to regulate tobacco products made with synthetic nicotine, and increased federal enforcement of the Tobacco Control Act. As a result of these steps forward, the federal government’s grade for “Federal Regulation of Tobacco Products” improved from a “D” grade last year, to a “C” grade in the 2023 report.

The 2023 “State of Tobacco Control” report grades the federal government in five areas:

• Federal Government Regulation of Tobacco Products – Grade C
• Federal Coverage of Quit Smoking Treatments – Grade D
• Level of Federal Tobacco Taxes – Grade F
• Federal Mass Media Campaigns to Prevent and Reduce Tobacco Use – Grade A
• Federal Minimum Age of Sale for Tobacco Products to 21 – Incomplete

FDA is overdue in publishing the final Tobacco 21 regulations as required by statute, which is why it earns an “incomplete.”

To learn more about this year’s “State of Tobacco Control” grades and take action, visit Lung.org/sotc.