Massachusetts Highlights

Tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable death and disease in the United States and in Massachusetts. To address this enormous toll, the American Lung Association calls for the following actions to be taken by Massachusetts’ elected officials:

Massachusetts continues to be a leader nationwide in tobacco control efforts. Five years have passed since laws making the Bay State the first in the nation to end the sale of all flavored tobacco products went into full effect. Fortunately, there were no successful legislative efforts in 2024 to rollback this comprehensive measure. Although, communities across the Commonwealth have experienced an increase in tobacco industry interference in the form of new emerging products such as “non-menthol” products that have the properties and characteristics of menthol products. Local Boards of Health and community advocates are working to address these illegal product sales through increased compliance checks and retailer education. The industry continues to push back with false claims that these products are not included in the Massachusetts flavor restriction.

Upon first introduction, the Governor’s Budget did not specifically earmark funding to the Massachusetts Tobacco Control Program (MTCP). Thanks to advocacy from the Lung Association and our state partners, Senator Keenan introduced an amendment that restored and increased the MTCP budget to $6.2 million, roughly $15,000 up from the prior fiscal year. Even with this budget increase, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts severely underfunds the MTCP based on the recommendations of the CDC. The Lung Association was thrilled to support the April youth advocacy day hosted by the 84 Movement, Massachusetts premier youth tobacco prevention program.

In 2024, communities across the Commonwealth worked to pass numerous “Nicotine-Free Generation” birthdate policies following the Massachusetts Supreme Court upholding the Brookline, MA policy that restricts the sale of tobacco products to anyone born on or after January 1, 2000. The American Lung Association signed on to an amicus brief to the courts along with other tobacco control partners outlining the important role municipalities have in tobacco control and prevention. A number of local Boards of Health across the Commonwealth have followed Brookline’s lead and many more are in the process of moving forward similar policies and are already experiencing tobacco industry intimidation.

The American Lung Association will continue to work with our state coalition partners to advance tobacco control and prevention efforts and defend our successful programs and smokefree policies against rollbacks. As the Massachusetts Legislature begins its work in 2025, the Lung Association and tobacco control partners will continue to grow our coalition to educate policymakers, business leaders and the media of the importance of the Lung Association’s goals to reduce tobacco use and protect public health.