California Gets Mixed Grades on Tobacco Control Efforts
The American Lung Association's 2010 State of Tobacco Control Report gives California an A rating in its smokefree air efforts, but a D grade in cigarette tax and an F rating in tobacco prevention and control spending, and cessation categories. Californians could vote on a ballot measure as early as June to raise the tobacco tax by $1 a pack -- from 87 cents -- to fund smoking prevention programs and cancer research.
- "State Scores A for Smokefree Air Efforts; Grades Tumble to D and F in 2 Other Areas" (Lamb Gregory, Ventura County Star, 1/19).
- "California Gets Low Marks for Anti-Smoking Efforts" (Walters, "Capitol Alert," Sacramento Bee, 1/20).
- "States Failing Miserably in Their Tobacco Control Efforts, Lung Association Says" (Maugh, "Booster Shots," Los Angeles Times, 1/20).