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. Four 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 2023 to rollback this comprehensive measure. Although, communities across the Commonwealth have experienced an increase in sales of “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 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 $90,000 up from the prior fiscal year and a 67% increased from fiscal year 2018. Even with this budget increase, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts severely underfunds the MTCP based on the recommendations of the CDC.

Massachusetts last raised the cigarette excise tax in 2013, at that time becoming the highest in the Northeast. However, the state has now fallen behind other Northeast states and this policy is one of the most effective in prompting current tobacco users to make a quit attempt and preventing youth from initiating tobacco use. While legislation has been introduced to increase the tobacco tax in the state, the legislature has been dormant in taking further action, including in 2023.

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 2024, 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 American Lung Associations goals to reduce tobacco use and protect public health.