Mississippi Highlights

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

Tobacco prevention and control issues were not a priority for the Mississippi Legislature in 2023. While comprehensive statewide smokefree bills were introduced, House Bill 107 also known as the Mississippi Smoke-free Air Act did not garner the support needed to be heard. Tobacco control partners continued to educate lawmakers on the harmful effects of secondhand smoke and the impact on health in Mississippi.

The Mississippi House of Representatives and the Mississippi Senate did pass legislation to sustain the amount of funding to the Mississippi State Department of Health's Office of Tobacco Control for youth prevention, tobacco free community coalitions, and adult cessation programs statewide. While there was continued interest by certain legislators to increase the price of tobacco products, the filed bills did not achieve final passage.

There continues to be significant support in local municipalities for public health protections from secondhand smoke. According to a Lung Association analysis using local ordinance data from the American for Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation and 2022 U.S. Census data, a total of 160 cities and 7 counties have adopted comprehensive smokefree ordinances that cover private workplaces, restaurants and bars. This accounts for approximately 30.6% of Mississippians being protected by smokefree policies.

In 2024, the American Lung Association will continue to advocate for the benefits of tobacco control policies, including the need to protect all workers by passing comprehensive protections from secondhand smoke. In order to meet the bold goals in Mississippi, state legislators will need to recognize the health and economic burden of tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke. The Lung Association will also continue to work with partners to ensure successful passage and preservation of comprehensive local smokefree ordinances.