A new report card from the American Lung Association regarding the state of tobacco control in Wisconsin shows mixed grades. The report gives the state a failing grade in three areas: funding for tobacco control and prevention, access to cessation services, and for not raising the minimum age for sale of tobacco products from 18 to 21. While acknowledging improvements in tobacco control over the long run, Dona Wininsky of the American Lung Association in Wisconsin says “we’re in a rut, and we need to do more.” The state gets an A for policies that enhance smoke-free air, and a B for the level of tobacco taxation in Wisconsin. According to the American Lung Association, 18 percent of Wisconsin residents still smoke. While that figure is indicative of progress that’s been made over the years, Wininksy says the state’s grades have not changed since the implementation of the state’s Smoke Free Air Law in 2010. Close to 95 percent of adult smokers try their first cigarette before the age of 21, so Wininsky says discouraging young people from using tobacco products is a key. The state’s cigarette tax is two dollars and 52 cents a pack, which Wininsky says is a deterrent.
