The American Lung Association issued a report Wednesday, finding New Mexico could do more to prevent tobacco use and save lives.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A new report from the American Lung Association shows New Mexico isn’t doing enough when it comes to preventing tobacco use.
The report also shows our state can do more when it comes to tobacco prevention.
“When it comes to tobacco prevention and control program funding, the state receives an F. Despite receiving $135 million from tobacco settlement payments and tobacco taxes, New Mexico only funds tobacco control efforts at 23.5% of the level that the CDC recommends,” said JoAnna Strother of the American Lung Association.
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They also describe tobacco use as the number one preventable cause of disease and death in New Mexico and the U.S.
The report calls on the state to use more of its funding toward tobacco use and prevention programs. It also says the state comes up short when it comes to ending the sale of all flavored tobacco products.
New Mexico got a D when it came to the state tobacco tax rate.
“We also know that tobacco taxes are another way that we call a win-win-win for the state. So what it does, when we raise tobacco taxes, it helps adults to quit and helps youth to not start or initiate tobacco products,” Strother said.
The report also highlights how New Mexico teens are vaping more.
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“In fact, they are vaping at a 37% rate which is actually higher than our neighboring states and it’s the highest in the southwest,” Strother said.
It’s not all bad news, though. New Mexico gets an A when it comes to coverage access and services to quit tobacco.
We also get a B when it comes to smoke-free workplace laws. For the first time, e-cigarettes and tobacco products are banned from public schools because of a new state law.
“We understand that with a lot of the students, they’re using the e-cigarettes as a mechanism and as a vehicle to not only use the e-liquid but also use marijuana, fentanyl and other hard drugs within that. So with that, we’re hoping to decrease the use of not only nicotine use but also other substances on campus,” said Esther Hoang, the program manager of the New Mexico Department of Health’s Nicotine Use Prevention and Control.
Another resource New Mexico residents have is a quit smoking hotline (1-800-QUIT-NOW). The hotline helps people quit smoking with things like patches or gum.
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The report also calls on the Biden administration to end the sale of menthol cigarettes. It also calls for banning flavored cigars as those are most popular among young people.
NM FAST (New Mexico Federal and State Technology) is now accepting applications for a free space-sector accelerator cohort designed to help New Mexico-based technology companies compete for federal funding through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. The cohort targets founders and researchers pursuing grants from NASA, Space Force and related federal agencies, with programming set to launch July 21.
The cohort will admit six to 10 New Mexico companies and run for 10 to 12 weeks, meeting in weekly sessions of approximately one and a half to two hours. Programming covers the full arc of federal commercialization strategy, including space-sector SBIR/STTR opportunities and federal funding pathways, proposal development for technical narratives and commercialization components, federal procurement positioning and agency discovery, capital strategy and follow-on funding options, and transition planning from Phase I to Phase II awards. Participants also receive targeted one-on-one advisory support throughout the program. The cohort is offered at no cost to accepted companies.
The program is open to companies at both the pre-award and early-award stages. The majority of cohort seats are designed for Phase 0 companies preparing to submit Phase I SBIR/STTR applications to NASA or Space Force. A limited number of seats are available for Phase I awardees working toward Phase II readiness and Phase III transition planning.
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“New Mexico has a deep base of research and a growing pipeline of founders ready to translate that work into companies that can compete for federal R&D dollars,” said Carlos Murguia, director of the Technology and Innovation Gateway at Arrowhead Center. “This cohort focuses specifically on the space sector, pairing New Mexico companies with Larta’s expertise in SBIR and STTR commercialization to give founders a clear, structured path from early-stage research to federal award.”
Larta Institute, NM FAST’s commercialization partner for this program, will lead the full design and delivery of the accelerator curriculum. Larta has supported startups that have collectively raised more than $23.7 billion since 1993 and brings that track record to founders working in New Mexico’s growing aerospace and space technology sector.
The cohort aligns with the aerospace priority sector named in the New Mexico Entrepreneurship Programmatic Support Grant and is relevant to companies working at the intersection of advanced computing, bioscience and advanced energy applications in space-related contexts.
NM FAST is administered by Arrowhead Center at New Mexico State University and operates statewide, serving founders in Las Cruces, Albuquerque, Los Alamos and rural communities across New Mexico. Over more than a decade of programming, NM FAST has supported more than 470 New Mexico startups and helped companies secure nearly $28 million in federal SBIR awards. Targeted outreach is directed to rural, women, veteran and minority entrepreneurs.
The program is sponsored by the New Mexico Economic Development Department’s Technology and Innovation Office through the New Mexico Entrepreneurship Programmatic Support Grant, which supports continued statewide programming for SBIR/STTR-eligible companies in the four priority sectors.
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Applications are open now and will be accepted through July 14, 2026. Interested companies can apply at forms.gle/CqSwEL7LahqB5pGu9. Space is limited, and selected companies will be notified before the program launch.
SANTA FE, N.M. – Santa Fe County and Edgewood approved a new agreement and ordinance that secures ongoing fire and EMS services for Edgewood residents.
According to a joint announcement from the Town of Edgewood and Santa Fe County on June 19, the two governments negotiated and adopted a new Joint Powers Agreement and ordinance to keep the Santa Fe County Fire Department serving the town.
County and town representatives drafted the agreement together. The town adopted the ordinance unanimously at a special meeting on June 16, putting an end to weeks of uncertainty.
Santa Fe County District 3 Commissioner Camilla Bustamante said, “I believe we are all relieved to know that the people of Edgewood will continue to have the fire and EMS services necessary to protect their homes, their families, and their community. This community deserves nothing less.”
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The announcement said the ordinance takes effect five days after final publication. The statement also said no further action or approval is needed to guarantee continued fire suppression, fire prevention, and EMS services for Edgewood residents.
Both governments noted the agreement will continue indefinitely unless either side ends it with five years’ notice.
