American Lung Association of Utah

State of Tobacco Control Report Card
Utah continues to have the lowest smoking rates in the nation for both adults (9.8%) and high school students (7.4%). Even though the rate is low, smoking still significantly impacts the physical and financial health of all Utahans. For many years, state and local health departments and organizations including the American Lung Association of Utah, now part of the American Lung Association of the Southwest, have joined forces in the Coalition for Tobacco Free Utah (CTFU) to fight the ongoing tobacco epidemic.

Legislation in 2007 continued to expand Utah efforts to prevent exposure to secondhand smoke and fires caused by cigarettes. One bill amended the Utah Indoor Clean Air Act prohibition against political subdivisions adopting stronger local smokefree ordinances. Local government districts, state institutions of higher education and state institutions of public education are now allowed to restrict smoking in outdoor places of public access that they own or operate.

Another bill that was approved requires that cigarettes sold or distributed in the state meet performance standards designed to reduce fires caused by cigarettes, effective July 1, 2008. Finally, legislation was also passed that adjusts the deadline for when Class B private clubs must go smokefree to January 1, 2009 - the same as taverns and Class D private clubs, and prevents anyone under the age of 21 in these clubs unless they are active military.

Tobacco control efforts received a significant boost with the influx of Master Settlement Agreement funds and tax increases and the subsequent implementation of smoking prevention and cessation, media education, secondhand smoke education, and enforcement activities. These funds have allowed the state to implement programs in every county and greatly increase public awareness of the negative impact of smoking.

However, for the past seven years, the state legislature has designated about half of the minimum amount of funding recommended for tobacco control and prevention programs by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This deficiency has hampered development of a truly comprehensive program and its impact on curbing the tobacco problem. The challenge for the American Lung Association of Utah and other tobacco control advocates is to educate legislators and all Utahans about the magnitude of the problem and the importance of staying on task, which will significantly benefit the state financially.

The American Lung Association of Utah will continue to play a leading role in protecting Utahans from the death and disease caused by tobacco use and addiction.

Click here to view Utah ’s report.

For the full report or to view reports from other areas in the United States, click here.