A new American Lung Association report on efforts to curtail smoking around the country gives Delaware mixed grades.
The report gave Delaware an A for its smoke free air initiatives. Smoking is prohibited in most indoor public places in Delaware, something CEO of the American Lung Association’s Mid-Atlantic chapter Deb Brown says has served as a model to other states.
"That particular piece of legislation passed in 2002 has been an example for many other states to follow," said Brown. "Last year, we did try to tighten it a little bit. We still have a bit of work to do on that, but Delaware is leading the charge in smoke-free air.'
Brown says that while Delaware received some good marks in the study, “this is still a report card Delaware shouldn’t be proud of.”
The annual report gave the First State an F in its taxation of tobacco. Brown says that increasing the tax on cigarettes and other products is low-hanging fruit.
"We know that increasing tobacco taxes has a major effort on use for young people as well as adults. In fact, one study found that if you increase the tobacco tax by 10 percent, you’ll see a reduction in percentage of young people using tobacco products, and adults," said Brown.
The current tax on a pack of cigarettes stands at $1.60 in Delaware.
The State of Tobacco Control study also gave Delaware a B in its efforts to fund tobacco control programs and a C in access to cessation services.
