OVERLAND PARK, KS | January 29, 2025
A new report from the American Lung Association urges Kansas lawmakers to prioritize policies that make state-owned casinos smokefree to reduce the overwhelming human and financial burden of tobacco use. The 2025 “State of Tobacco Control” report evaluates state and federal policies on actions taken to eliminate tobacco use and recommends proven-effective tobacco control laws and policies to prevent nicotine dependence and protect kids.
In the 2025 report, Kansas received the following grades:
- Funding for State Tobacco Prevention Programs – Grade F
- Strength of Smokefree Workplace Laws – Grade B
- Level of State Tobacco Taxes – Grade F
- Coverage and Access to Services to Quit Tobacco – Grade D
- Ending the Sale of All Flavored Tobacco Products – Grade F
“In addition to grading Kansas’ tobacco control policies, this year’s ‘State of Tobacco Control’ report examines the tobacco industry’s increasingly aggressive actions to addict a new generation to nicotine and hinder proven public policies to prevent and reduce tobacco use,” said Sara Prem, Director of Advocacy at the American Lung Association in Kansas. “Here in Kansas, we are seeing industry lobbyists at the state and local level working to stop or weaken proven tobacco control policies. The industry also is introducing new products that appeal to youth like e-cigarettes that mimic smartphones, kid-friendly flavors and flavored nicotine pouches that are heavily marketed by social media influencers.”
Prem added: “In 2025, policymakers in Kansas must focus on making state owned casinos smokefree, opposing all forms of preemption of local tobacco control authority, as well as increasing state funding for tobacco control programs and ensure that funding is spent according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) best practices.”
The U.S. Surgeon General has concluded there is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke and the emissions from e-cigarettes are not safe. Removing the exemption for state-owned casinos in Kansas’ Indoor Clean Air legislation would eliminate smoking and e-cigarette use these workplaces workplacesand protect casino workers across the state from deadly secondhand smoke. In fact, the 2024 Surgeon General report found that nationally, 19,000 people die from secondhand smoke each year.
Federal Grades Overview
The 2025 “State of Tobacco Control” report grades the federal government in five areas:
- Federal Government Regulation of Tobacco Products – Grade C
- Federal Coverage of Quit Smoking Treatments – Grade D
- Level of Federal Tobacco Taxes – Grade F
- Federal Mass Media Campaigns to Prevent and Reduce Tobacco Use – Grade: A
- Federal Minimum Age of Sale for Tobacco Products to 21 – Grade: A
The 2025 “State of Tobacco Control” report urges Congress to provide additional funding to the FDA so they can enforce against and remove all illegal e-cigarettes the tobacco industry has introduced to the market. To learn more about this year’s “State of Tobacco Control” grades and sign the petition, visit Lung.org/sotc.
Get involved and help the mission of the American Lung Association. The Fight For Air Climb Kansas City is coming up on Sunday, March 2. Learn more at KCClimb.org.
State grades in “State of Tobacco Control” reflect actions taken by elected officials and do not reflect on the hard work of state tobacco control programs or advocates.
Media Resources:
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American Lung Association logos are available here: Media | American Lung Association
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The American Lung Association is the leading organization working to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease through education, advocacy and research. The work of the American Lung Association is focused on four strategic imperatives: to defeat lung cancer; to champion clean air for all; to improve the quality of life for those with lung disease and their families; and to create a tobacco-free future. For more information about the American Lung Association, which has a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator and is a Platinum-Level GuideStar Member, call 1-800-LUNGUSA (1-800-586-4872) or visit: Lung.org. To support the work of the American Lung Association, find a local event at Lung.org/events.
For more information, contact:
Janye Killelea
312-940-7624
Janye.Killelea@Lung.org
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