Report: California Ranks 26th in Tobacco Control and Prevention

Most states, including California, do not plan to spend much tobacco-related revenue on control and prevention efforts during fiscal year 2015, according to a report by a coalition of anti-smoking groups, the Washington Post's "GovBeat" reports.

Background, Details of Report

The report was produced by the:

• American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network;
• American Heart Association;
• American Lung Association
• Americans for Nonsmokers' Rights;
• Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids; and
• Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (Chokshi, "GovBeat," Washington Post, 12/12).

The report ranked states based on their efforts and spending on tobacco control and prevention. It also projected potential savings and improved health outcomes if states were to spend more to cut smoking rates (Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids report, December 2014).

According to the report, states are expected to collect a total of $25.6 billion in tobacco-related revenues this fiscal year.

CDC recommends that states spend about $3.3 billion on tobacco control and prevention programs. However, the report found that states plan to spend just $490 million -- or 15% of CDC's recommendation -- on such efforts.

Meanwhile, the report projected that if all states cut youth smoking rates to 7.5%, it would save $122 billion in tobacco-related health care costs and prevent 2.3 million children from early tobacco-related deaths ("GovBeat," Washington Post, 12/12).

California Findings

Overall, the report ranked California 26th for its tobacco control and prevention efforts.

The report found that California will collect about $1.6 billion in tobacco-related revenues. However, California in FY 2015 plans to spend just $58.9 million -- or 16.9% of the $347.9 million recommended by CDC -- on control and prevention programs, according to the report.

Meanwhile, tobacco companies spend about $583.4 million marketing in the state each year, according to the report (Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids release, 12/11).

The report also found that:

• 12.5% of adults in California smoke, while 10.5% of high school students smoke;
• 40,000 deaths in the state are caused by smoking annually; and
• $13.29 billion in annual health care costs in the state are related to smoking (Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids report, December 2014).