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American Lung Association Report Shows 2007 Shaping Up to be a Banner Year for
Tobacco Control Policies.
Mid-Year Update Details Progress to Date in
2007;
7 States Significantly Strengthened Smokefree Air Laws, 8 Raised
Tobacco Taxes
New York, NY (July 24, 2007) – In 2007, many states have
taken strong action to protect their citizens from tobacco by making public
places and workplaces smokefree, raising tobacco taxes, and passing laws to
protect citizens from cigarette-caused fires, according to a report released
today by the American Lung Association.
In the 2007 Mid-Term Update to
its publication State Legislated Actions on Tobacco Issues or SLATI, the Lung
Association summarizes state tobacco control laws enacted in 2007 on smokefree
air, tobacco taxes, smoking prevention spending and fire-safety standards for
cigarettes among other issues.
“In January 2006, the American Lung
Association issued its Smokefree Air 2010 Challenge, urging all states to adopt
strong smokefree air laws. The 2007 SLATI Mid-Term Report shows significant
progress continues to be made. 22 states and the District of Columbia have laws
fully protecting their citizens from secondhand smoke. We challenge policymakers
in the remaining states to do the same,” said Bernadette A. Toomey, President
and CEO of the American Lung Association.
Also in 2007, eight states have
increased their cigarette taxes, already matching the total for all of 2006.
Forty-three states and the District of Columbia have increased their cigarette
tax at least once since 2002. “We are encouraged that states continue to
increase tobacco taxes, which makes cigarettes more costly. Higher cigarette
prices deter young people from starting to smoke and help motivate adult smokers
to quit,” said Toomey.
An increasing number of states have approved
legislation setting fire-safety standards for cigarettes. Twelve states have
approved this legislation in 2007, and three more states have legislation
awaiting action by the governor. “This legislation is vital in the fight to
reduce the 700 to 900 deaths annually from fires caused by cigarettes and other
smoking materials,” she added.A PDF copy of 2007 SLATI Mid-Term Report is
available online. This website is also the home of the online version of SLATI,
which is updated on a regular basis to reflect changes in state tobacco control
laws throughout the year.
About the American Lung Association. Beginning
our second century, the American Lung Association is the leading organization
working to prevent lung disease and promote lung health. Lung disease death
rates continue to increase while other leading causes of death have declined.
The American Lung Association funds vital research on the causes of and
treatments for lung disease. With the generous support of the public, the
American Lung Association is “Improving life, one breath at a time.” For more
information about the American Lung Association or to support the work it does,
call 1-800-LUNG-USA (1-800-586-4872) or log on to www.lungusa.org.
 Author Bio - Farshid Machiwala - For more information visit: http://www.nicocure.com/?aid=328955 and http://portal.ismaili-net.com
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