How does your state compare?

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

  1. Increase the cigarette tax by $1.00 per pack, with parity across all tobacco products; and
  2. Eliminate the sale of all flavored tobacco products.
The American Lung Association in Utah supports evidence-based policy interventions to reduce tobacco use rates and prevent youth initiation. Together with our partners, the Lung Association works to ensure tobacco control and prevention remains a priority for state legislators and local decisionmakers.

The Lung Association continued to educate elected officials and the general public about the negative public health impacts of tobacco use in Utah, and the ongoing importance of providing adequately funded tobacco prevention and cessation programs. In 2024, the legislature passed and Governor Cox signed into law House Bill 128, which allows individuals under age 18 to offer their own consent for tobacco cessation services. Utah also passed controversial legislation making it illegal to sell flavored e-cigarettes. Under the law, tobacco and menthol flavors are still permitted. The law also creates a registry of e-cigarette products that may be sold in the state based on U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) pre-market tobacco application status. Products with pending pre-market tobacco applications would be allowed to be sold, which FDA considers on the market illegally, undermining FDA authority. Tobacco manufacturers actively pursued similar legislation in many states.

In fiscal year 2025, Utah maintains its standing among the top states in the country for tobacco prevention and cessation funding. The program is funded by a combination of tobacco Master Settlement Agreement dollars, tobacco tax revenue and e-cigarette tax revenue.

In 2025, the American Lung Association in Utah will continue to educate policymakers about the dangers of tobacco use and the importance of a well-funded tobacco prevention and cessation program. A significant increase on taxes for all tobacco products remains the top tobacco control policy goal in Utah. Raising the price of tobacco products, including through higher taxes, remains one of the most effective ways to discourage youth initiation and encourage people who use tobacco products to quit. Utah’s legislature last raised the cigarette tax in 2010.

Utah Facts
Healthcare Costs Due to Smoking: $542,335,526
Adult Smoking Rate: 6.00%
Adult Tobacco Use Rate: 12.60%
High School Smoking Rate: 1.90%
High School Tobacco Use Rate: 9.50%
Middle School Smoking Rate: N/A
Smoking Attributable Deaths per Year: 1,340
Adult smoking and tobacco use data come from CDC’s 2023 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System; adult tobacco use includes cigarettes, smokeless tobacco and e-cigarettes. High school smoking and tobacco use rates are taken from the 2021 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System. A current middle school smoking rate is not available for this state.

Health impact information is taken from the Smoking-Attributable Mortality, Morbidity and Economic Costs (SAMMEC) software. Smoking-attributable deaths reflect average annual estimates for the period 2005-2009 and are calculated for persons aged 35 years and older. Smoking-attributable healthcare expenditures are based on 2004 smoking-attributable fractions and 2009 personal healthcare expenditure data. Deaths and expenditures should not be compared by state.

Utah Information

Learn more about your state specific legislation regarding efforts towards effective Tobacco Control.

State Grades Report Laws & Policies Historical Data