Tobacco Control News
- Smoking Cessation Coverage Now Available for All Medicare Patients
- Lights Out for Light Cigarettes
- A World Without Tobacco
- Most states falling short on tobacco policies
- This Mother’s Day, Help Your Mom Go Smokefree
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Alaska State Facts
- Economic Costs Due to Smoking:
- $448,937,000
- Adult Prevalence:
- 21.5%
- High School Smoking Rate:
- 17.8%
- Middle School Smoking Rate:
- N/A
- Smoking Attributable Deaths:
- 488
- Smoking Attributable Lung Cancer Deaths:
- 172
- Smoking Attributable Respiratory Disease Deaths:
- 114
Adult smoking rate is taken from CDC's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2008 Prevalence Data. High school smoking rate is taken from the 2007 Youth Risk Behavioral 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 2000-2004 and are calculated for persons aged 35 years and older. They do not take into account deaths from burns or secondhand smoke. Respiratory diseases include pneumonia, influenza, bronchitis, emphysema and chronic airway obstruction. The estimated economic impact of smoking is based on smoking-attributable health care expenditures in 2004 and the average annual productivity losses for the period 2000-2004.
Alaska
Behind the Scenes
The American Lung Association in Alaska is a leader and a key partner in the effort to sustain and increase funding for Alaska's comprehensive tobacco prevention and control program.In May, the state legislature passed its fiscal year 2010 budget, which included a small increase in funding from the Tobacco Use Education and Cessation Fund over the fiscal year 2009 level for a total of over $9.2 million. This funding level brings Alaska close to the $10.7 million level recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
House Bill 188 was introduced to change the method of taxing "moist snuff" tobacco from a percentage of wholesale price tax to a weight-based system. Working together with partners, the Lung Association advocated and worked with the bill sponsor to maximize the level of the tax and lobbied to ensure the tax would be used to fund tobacco prevention and cessation efforts in Alaska. The bill was not passed out of committee during the 2009 session. Work will continue with legislators and advocates to ensure the proposed legislation best protects our youth and all Alaskans from the negative health effects of tobacco products.
On the local level, the Lung Association continues to work with partners and advocates around the state to pass strong tobacco control policies. During 2009, a successful ballot measure in Juneau raised the local cigarette tax rate from 30 cents to $1.00 per pack, and the local tax on tobacco products other than cigarettes was raised from 12 percent to 45 percent of the wholesale price. Voters in Haines also approved a new clean air ordinance that eliminates smoking in enclosed areas, designated public places and places of employment.
As we look forward to 2010, the American Lung Association in Alaska will continue to work with statewide partners to improve lung health in the state. It will have an integral role in ensuring that Alaska maintains current funding levels for its tobacco prevention and control program. The Lung Association will also work on building support for a comprehensive smokefree air law on the statewide level and will continue to be a well-respected authority on public health in Alaska.
