The American Heart Association has released their 19th annual “State of Tobacco Control” report evaluates states and the federal government on the proven-effective tobacco control laws and policies necessary to save lives. This year’s report focuses on the importance of ending tobacco use amid the pandemic, as smoking is a risk factor for the most severe illness from COVID‑19 symptoms. The report also discusses the actions the new Biden Administration and states need to take to prevent and reduce tobacco use.
Key Findings
- With 1 in 5 teens vaping, our children are becoming the next generation addicted to tobacco. This is largely driven by flavored e-cigarettes. It’s imperative our states and the federal government pass policies to prevent youth from starting to use tobacco and to help everyone quit.
- As a result of decades of targeting by Big Tobacco, many Americans, including Black people, LGBTQ people and persons with lower income are disproportionately harmed by tobacco-related death and disease.
- The COVID-19 pandemic has placed increased attention on lung health. Since smoking increases the risk of the most severe impacts of COVID-19, preventing and reducing tobacco use is more critical than ever.