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State of Tobacco MICHIGAN – IT'S TIME TO INHALE SMOKEFREE AND EXHALE LIFE The Fifth Annual American Lung Association State of Tobacco Control Report Card Gives Michigan Failing Grades Once Again The American Lung Association of Michigan calls for the passage of a statewide smokefree worksite bill, including restaurants and bars January 9, 2007, Oak Park, Mich. – Despite the fact that nearly 40,000 people die each year from smoking-related diseases, state policymakers in Michigan have not adopted strong, comprehensive polices to adequately protect citizens from the ravages of tobacco use, according to the Fifth Annual American Lung Association State of Tobacco Control (SOTC) report released today. The report gave Michigan the following grades: • Tobacco Prevention and Control Spending, Grade: F • Smokefree Air, Grade: F • Cigarette Taxes, Grade: A • Youth Access to Tobacco Products, Grade: F Michigan clearly has a long way to go in its fight against tobacco,” said Susan Schechter, Program & Advocacy Specialist for the American Lung Association of Michigan. “To begin with, Michigan legislators need to step up and pass a statewide smokefree worksite regulation that includes restaurants and bars and allocate more dollars towards tobacco prevention programs. This report shows that if we pass comprehensive smokefree laws and direct more money towards prevention programs, we will reduce exposure to secondhand smoke among nonsmokers, inspire smokers to quit and prevent kids from becoming addicted.” Click here to access the entire American Lung Association State of Tobacco Control 2007 report. Click here to find out how the report graded Michigan. Michigan Must Do More to Ensure Smokefree Air in Public Places Michigan has yet to adopt statewide smokefree legislation, despite receiving failing grades for smokefree air from the SOTC for five years in a row. The American Lung Association of Michigan has taken great strides to alleviate the smoking epidemic in this state. In April 2005, the American Lung Association of Michigan led a coalition of several health agencies in launching the “Make MI Air Smokefree” campaign. This campaign is the first full fledged effort to ban smoking in all Michigan workplaces including restaurants and bars. The need for this type of legislation was made apparent in June of 2006 when the U.S. Surgeon General released a landmark report, finding that there is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke. The report further found that millions of Americans are still subjected to second hand smoke in their workplaces. Furthermore, exposure to secondhand smoke is not eliminated simply by separating smokers and nonsmokers and ventilating buildings. Based on these findings, it is no surprise that the levels of secondhand smoke in restaurants are approximately 160 percent to 200 percent higher than in office workplaces and levels in bars are 400 percent to 600 percent higher. According to the report, the workplace is the primary source of secondhand smoke exposure for adult nonsmokers in the United States. Restaurant workers are particularly at risk as only 28 percent of waiters and just 13 percent of bartenders work in a smokefree workplace. “The American Lung Association of Michigan urges state policymakers to support or continue to support the “Make MI Air Smokefree” campaign and put an end to the suffering and death caused by tobacco use and secondhand smoke. Everyone living in Michigan deserves smokefree air. Our neighbors in Ohio just passed a ballot initiative to require smokefree workplaces, including bars and restaurants and it's time for Michigan to follow suit and join the ranks of those states where public health is a priority,” Schechter said. Working in a smokefree environment helps smokers cut down on the number of cigarettes they smoke each day and helps those trying to quit. For example, New York City's strong smokefree air law, combined with a large cigarette tax increase, led to the most significant one-year drop in smoking ever recorded. In 2003, 100,000 people in New York City quit smoking. This was an 11 percent decrease in the number of smokers. Michigan Continues to Underfund Tobacco Prevention Programs Despite strong evidence showing that tobacco prevention programs save lives and money, states like Michigan continue to under fund tobacco prevention programs. The American Lung Association gave F grades to 23 states for inadequate program funding. Eight years have passed since the Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) was signed in 1998. The MSA's success in reducing smoking and smoking-related diseases is evident in the few states that have dedicated a portion of MSA funding to tobacco prevention programs. In 2006, nine states — Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, New York and Wyoming — honored the commitment to provide a significant amount of funding to prevent tobacco use and addiction. Unfortunately, a majority of states have chosen to direct funding away from life-saving tobacco prevention programs. The CDC recommends that Michigan spend a minimum of $55 million annually on such programs, yet in 2007, only $5.5 million is appropriated. Michigan Receives Passing Grade for Cigarette Tax Six states passed cigarette tax increases in 2006, two fewer than in 2005. Nationwide, the average state cigarette tax (as of January 1, 2007) was $1.00 per pack, up over $0.07 since January 1, 2006. In 2004, Michigan passed a $.75 tax increase on cigarettes and a 32 percent increase on all other tobacco products – one of the highest increases in the United States. Michigan ranks as one of the top 10 states whose taxes bring cigarette costs up more that $2.00 per pack. Higher taxes makes cigarettes more expensive, which not only deters kids from starting to smoke, but also motivates adults to quit. Michigan Must Reduce Youth Tobacco Access Published research studies have found that kids are twice as sensitive to tobacco advertising than adults and are more likely to be influenced to smoke by cigarette marketing than by peer pressure. Studies also note that one-third of underage experimentation with smoking is attributable to tobacco company advertising. Every day, 4,000 children under the age of 18 smoke for the first time and nearly 1,500 of them become established daily smokers. Enactment and enforcement of policies to restrict the sale and distribution of tobacco products to minors are effective components of a comprehensive tobacco control program.
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The American Lung Association of Michigan is a constituent of the American Lung Association and is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt charitable organization.
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