Discount Cigarettes News
Jan 16th, 2008 - 12:10:45
Oklahoma’s latest report card shows just such improvement in its programs to keep state residents from smoking. American Lung Association annually issues a “State of Tobacco Control” report card, ranking every state in the union in four categories: Spending on tobacco prevention and control, smoke-free air, cigarette taxes and youth access to tobacco. In 2006, Oklahoma received an F for the amount the state spends on tobacco prevention and control. In the 2007 report, the state received a C. That’s not exactly honor roll material, but it’s better than failing. In 2008, Oklahoma’s tobacco control program funding will be $15.7 million, including funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for fiscal year 2007. That’s not enough. That is well below the CDC’s recommended range of between $21.8 million and $56.3 million per year. The top end of that scale seems somewhat unrealistic for a state of our size, but Oklahoma certainly is capable of matching a state like Arkansas, which spends $16.9 million per year on tobacco prevention and control. Oklahoma also received a C on its level of smoke-free air, despite restrictions on smoking in restaurants as well as private and government work places, coupled with all-out bans on smoking in schools, child care facilities, retail stores and recreational and cultural facilities. Oklahoma received a B for its laws limiting youth access to smoking, but was hit with a D for its cigarette tax rate of $1.03 per pack. That rate hasn’t dropped since last year, but other states have raised their cigarette taxes, thus discouraging smokers by driving up the cost. Oklahoma is doing better with its tobacco control programs, but we still have a long way to go. Our state still has some of the highest smoking rates in the nation among both adults and high school students. One-quarter of Oklahoma adults smoke, and the rate among high school students is even higher, at 28.6 percent. In middle school, nearly 10 percent of students smoke. And those numbers add up to the most significant statistic of all — more than 5,800 Oklahomans die from smoking-related diseases every year. Until that number drops significantly, our state’s tobacco control programs are failing, no matter their grade. © Copyright 2006 by DiscountCigarettesBox.Com Top of Page |
