Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). More than 20,000 Ohioans die from smoking related deaths each year, according to the Ohio Department of Health.
The American Lung Association (ALA) says the state could do more to prevent these deaths. In its annual report on how states are faring in tobacco cessation and education programming, Ohio received a failing grade.
“There have been some improvements, but Ohio has a long way to go,” said Kezia Ofusu Atta, director of advocacy with the Ohio chapter of the American Lung Association.
Ohio’s rates of smoking among adults is higher than the national average. About 15% of adult Ohioans smoke regularly, amounting to more than a million people, compared to 11% nationally. Another 3% of Ohio high school students smoke, according to the ALA.
Inadequate funding
The CDC recommends that Ohio spend $132 million toward intervention and cessation programs. Currently, Ohio spends a small fraction of that – less than $8 million – on education and cessation support.
In fiscal year 2023, tobacco prevention funding was slashed. That year’s state budget cut tobacco education and cessation programming in half, meaning fewer resources to support Ohioans who want to quit smoking, Atta said.
“[It] is important, that if someone wants to make a quit attempt, that their resources that are funded be able to assist them,” Atta explained.
Still, Ohio is looking to expand funding. The governor’s most recent state budget proposal would increase funding to $10 million for cessation strategies.
The state isn’t alone in its below-recommended levels of spending.
“Across the board, we see general recommendations from our State of Tobacco team to each state to increase funding towards these tobacco cessation programs,” Atta said.
Slow progress
Ohio has received a failing grade from the ALA for the last 8 years. There are hints of progress, though, Atta said.
Governor DeWine is pushing to increase the cigarette tax in the state from $1.60 to $3.10 per pack. Atta said it will likely result in a decrease in smoking rates statewide. Every 10% tax increase on cigarettes leads to a reduction in consumption by 4% among adults and 7% among youths, according to the ALA and multiple studies.
“If a consumer goes to the marketplace to purchase cigarettes and they see that the price has increased, they are more likely to think about their purchase practices and the items that they purchase and reflect about how it affects their lives and health,” she said.
There’s also been efforts to push for an elimination of flavored e-cigarettes. In Atta’s view, this would be a significant step forward for the state, but, she said, they could go even further.
“I would also urge that in addition to that, they introduce an elimination of or decrease in selling of all flavored tobacco and cigarette products, because we see that addiction is higher in people who use cigarettes that are flavored and these flavors are enticing to the youths,” she said.
Local vs. state control
There’s been much debate in recent years on who has the power to institute tobacco control within the state.
Columbus passed a measure in 2022 to prohibit the sale of all flavored tobacco products. The state legislature responded by passing a bill that prevents localities from regulating smoking, vaping and e-cigarette usage and sales, arguing the state alone is in charge of tobacco regulation.
In 2023, Dewine vetoed the legislature’s bill. Legislators tried again that year to introduce a similar measure, and Dewine, again, stopped it from going into effect.
Ultimately, state legislators voted to override the governor’s veto at the start of 2024. Current law doesn’t allow municipalities to regulate tobacco products.
Columbus, and several other Ohio cities, have taken the issue to court. An Ohio district court ruled in favor of the municipalities. The case is now before the Ohio Court of Appeals.
