State's grades rise in smoking report

OLYMPIA — A smoking ban and the third-highest cigarette tax in the nation helped Washington state earn two A's on the American Lung Association's annual report card Tuesday.

The state earned an A for smoke-free air and one for cigarette taxes. It received a B for spending on prevention and control, and a C for curbing youth access to tobacco products.

"We commend both policy-makers and the voters for helping lung health for our state," said Paul Payton, the association's state spokesman.

A year ago, the association gave Washington two C's and two B's.

Initiative 901, the most far-reaching smoking ban in the nation, passed in November with approval of 63 percent of the voters. Lawmakers last year increased the cigarette tax to $2.025 per pack.

The association was concerned that minors still have easy access to tobacco products, picking up free samples at concerts or purchasing tobacco without being asked for identification.

States received money under a 1998 master settlement of lawsuits against the tobacco industry, but the report said only Arkansas, Colorado, Maine, Mississippi and Wyoming have committed substantial amounts of the settlement money to smoking prevention.

The federal government earned largely failing grades from the group for its lagging efforts to control tobacco use.