Vermont Highlights

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

The 2024 legislative session saw the Vermont House of Representatives pass legislation to end the sale of menthol cigarettes and some other flavored tobacco products by a vote of 83-53. The measure had previously been passed in the Senate and headed to the Governor. Unfortunately, Governor Scott vetoed the measure and there were not enough votes to override his action.

The Lung Association will continue to build on the initial groundwork and work to increase support to address the use of flavored tobacco products in 2025. Enticed by kid-friendly flavors that also mask the harshness that comes with inhalation, Vermonts youth are being set up for a lifetime of nicotine addiction. State leaders must act to end all sales of flavored tobacco products.

Despite the Vermont Tobacco Prevention program being underfunded at only approximately 45% of the level recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the level of state funding remained flat in 2024. Significantly increasing funding for Vermont’s tobacco prevention and treatment efforts remains a key way to reduce tobacco use in the state.

The state is fortunate to have a strong advocate for youth health in Attorney General Charity Clark who has made addressing the youth vaping crisis a priority. In addition to her strong support for ending the sale of flavored tobacco products in Vermont and at the federal level, Attorney General Clark announced in September of 2024 a settlement with Amazon for not preventing third-party sellers from violating Vermont’s delivery sales law which prohibits shipping any tobacco product directly to Vermont consumers. In addition to a $400,000 settlement, Amazon will improve controls to prevent illegal sales.

The American Lung Association in Vermont will continue to work with our coalition partners including the American Heart Association, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids and others to advance tobacco control and prevention efforts. As the legislature begins its work in 2025, we will continue to educate policymakers, residents, business leaders and the media of the importance of advancing strong tobacco and prevention efforts to build upon our past successes in the Green Mountain State.