MI Anti-Smoking Efforts Earn Low Marks In New Report

MICHIGAN — While Michigan has made some progress in reducing tobacco use among residents, a new report by the American Lung Association says lawmakers still have a ways to go when it comes to fully embracing the importance of eliminating its use altogether.

More than 480,000 people die annually from a smoking-related illness, according to the American Lung Association’s 20th annual State of Tobacco Control report released Tuesday. The report evaluates states as well as the federal government and their efforts to curb one of the nation’s leading causes of preventable death.

This year’s report also looks back on work done in the past 20 years and what still needs to be accomplished.

Much work has been done. The adult smoking rate has dropped from 21.6 percent in 2003 to 14 percent in 2019. Twenty-eight states are now considered “smoke-free.” The average state cigarette tax is now $1.91 per pack compared with $0.62 in 2003.

However, a new generation of products — including e-cigarettes, vapes and flavored tobacco products — is threatening the progress made, according to this year’s report. Progress in states has been uneven. Significant racial, social and geographical disparities also still exist.

“While there have been some promising announcements and actions taken by FDA in 2021, unnecessary addiction, disease, and death could have been prevented by more assertive federal government action on flavored tobacco products,” the report reads.

Is Michigan making the grade when it comes to preventing and reducing tobacco use?

Well, not really, according to the report.

The American Lung Association said Michigan lawmakers could do a lot more to reduce tobacco use, especially since the state only spends 3.8 percent of what is recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for a state's size.

Furthermore, the association recommends an increase in tobacco taxes as a way to divert more money toward tobacco control and prevention.

To calculate grades for each state, the American Lung Association compared state tobacco control policies to targets based on the organization’s criteria for effectively curbing tobacco use. Each state’s progress then received a grade of “A” through “F.” A grade of “A” is assigned for excellent tobacco control policies, while an “F” indicates inadequate policies.

Overall, Michigan earned the following grades on this year’s report:

• Tobacco prevention and control funding: F
• Smokefree air: C
• Tobacco taxes: F
• Access to cessation services: D
• Flavored tobacco products: F

Since tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable death and disease in the United States and in Michigan, the American American Lung Association calls for Michigan officials to issue actions, including:

• Pass a law to license all tobacco retailers, including e-cigarette retailers.
• Prohibit flavorings, including mint and menthol, for all tobacco products.
• Increase funding for tobacco prevention and cessation programs.
• Match the tax on non-cigarette forms of tobacco like spit tobacco, cigars, hookah and e-cigarettes to the cigarette tax.

Michigan became the first state in the nation to ban flavored vaping products under a Whitmer emergency order, but has since withdrew the measure in favor of a new approach that targets youth vaping.

However, local efforts are underway in Detroit and Grand Rapids to prohibit the sale of flavored tobacco products.

Other tobacco use facts about Michigan include, 18.4 percent adult smoking rate, 4.5 percent high school smoking rate and a 23 percent high school tobacco use rate. Overall, an average of 16,170 adult deaths each year are attributed to smoking in Michigan, according to CDC smoking data.

The American Lung Association also evaluates efforts at a federal level. The United States earned the following grades:

• Federal regulation of tobacco products: D
• Cessation coverage: D
• Tobacco taxes: F
• Mass media campaigns: A
• Minimum age: Incomplete

The American Lung Association then laid out four key actions for the Biden administration and Congress to take this year that may help eliminate death and disease caused by tobacco use.

1) The U.S. Food and Drug Administration must not allow marketing of any product that fails to protect public health.

2) The Biden administration must propose and finalize rules to remove all menthol-flavored cigarettes and cigars from store shelves.

3) Congress must increase Centers for Disease Control and Prevention funding to help states fight e-cigarette use among teens.

4) Health insurance plans, including Medicaid, must fully cover smoking cessation programs without barriers.

For more information on how to quit smoking or using tobacco products, the American Lung Association offers tools, tips, and support to help.