American Lung Association Report Gives Illinois Mi...( Cites Smoke Free Illinois as Vict...),Health

Cites Smoke Free Illinois as Victory for Public Health; Progress Needed in Other Key Areas

SPRINGFIELD, Ill., Jan. 10 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Illinois scored one very high and three very low grades in tobacco control policies from the American Lung Association's State of Tobacco Control 2007 report, which highlighted significant progress in smoke free air and outlined progress to be made in tobacco prevention and control spending, cigarette tax and youth access. Illinois received the following grades:

-- Smoke free air: A

-- Cigarette tax: D (Higher cigarette taxes reduce the number of kids who smoke and increase the number of adults who quit. Studies show that for every 10 percent increase in the cost of a pack of cigarettes, there is a seven percent decline in youth consumption.)

-- Youth access: D (Reflects enactment and enforcement of policies that restrict the sale and distribution of tobacco products to minors.)

-- Tobacco prevention and control spending: F (Grading is based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's [CDC] 2007 updated Best Practices for Comprehensive Tobacco Control Programs, which recommended that Illinois apply $64.9 million per year on tobacco control and prevention spending. More than 16,900 people in Illinois die each year from diseases caused by cigarette smoking. CDC estimates that if all states funded their tobacco control programs at the recommended level of investment for five years, it would result in five million fewer smokers nationally.)

"We began 2008 celebrating a huge victory for the health of Illinois workers with the comprehensive Smoke Free Illinois law which became effective January 1," said Kathy Drea, Director of Public Policy, American Lung Association of Illinois and Greater Chicago.

Smoke free Air Laws Help Prompt Adults to Quit Smoking

One of the many benefits of comprehensive smoke free air laws is that they increase the numb
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