South Dakota
South Dakota tobacco control policies earn mostly failing grades in annual “State of Tobacco Control” report
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – This week, the American Lung Association released its 22nd annual “State of Tobacco Control” report, with South Dakota receiving three F grades, one D grade and one B grade for efforts to prevent and reduce tobacco use.
The report suggested South Dakota policymakers focus on creating laws prohibiting the state from buying nicotine and put a greater focus on providing cessation medications.
“Tobacco use is the leading cause of death in South Dakota and across the country and takes the lives of 1,250 state residents each year. The tobacco industry will do anything to protect their profits at the expense of South Dakota lives, so we must push forward in our efforts to prevent and reduce tobacco use,” said Molly Collins, advocacy director at the American Lung Association in South Dakota. “This year, we are calling on state policymakers to focus on covering and providing services for U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved quit smoking treatments for state residents. South Dakota lawmakers can help residents quit tobacco by covering all quit smoking treatments in its Medicaid program and for state employees. This should include access to all seven FDA-approved tobacco cessation medications and all three forms of counseling without barriers, such as copays and prior authorization.”
The report grades all 50 states and the District of Columbia on five areas of tobacco use reduction. South Dakota received F grades in “Funding for State Tobacco Prevention Programs,” “Level of State Tobacco Taxes” and “Ending the Sale of All Flavored Tobacco Products.”
The state received a D grade in the area of “Coverage and Access to Services to Quit Tobacco” but scored higher in “Strength of Smokefree Workplace Laws,” which received a B grade.
To learn more about the State of Tobacco Control report, head to Lung.org/SOTC.
Copyright 2024 KSFY. All rights reserved.
South Dakota
Republican businessman Toby Doeden advances to primary runoff in South Dakota governor’s race
Republican businessman Toby Doeden has advanced to a runoff in South Dakota governor’s race, NBC News projects.
Gov. Larry Rhoden, who replaced Kristi Noem last year when President Donald Trump nominated her to lead the Department of Homeland Security, was battling with Rep. Dusty Johnson and former state House Speaker Jon Hansen for a second spot in the July 28 runoff. The primary will go to a runoff because no candidate eclipsed 35% of the vote.
Trump did not issue an endorsement in the race. Doeden branded himself on his campaign website as “a total political outsider who’s tired of the government’s failure to deliver on its promises” and one of Trump’s “fiercest supporters.”
Rhoden, a former lieutenant governor, agriculture secretary and lawmaker, campaigned on property tax cuts and lowering crime in his bid for a four-year term.
Johnson is the state’s lone representative in the House, where he previously was chair of the Republican Main Street Caucus. Hansen, who was elected to the South Dakota House in 2010, held several leadership positions before he became speaker.
The Republican nominee will be the favorite to win the general election in the solidly red state this fall. A Democrat has not served as governor in South Dakota since the 1970s, and Trump carried the state by 29 points in 2024.
News
Agronomist: eastern South Dakota crops hit and miss
An agronomist in eastern South Dakota says corn and soybeans are hit and miss as the growing season begins.
Steven Zemlicka with AgTegra Cooperative tells Brownfield, “We’ve got corn anywhere from V1 all the way up to V4. Biggest stuff’s maybe touching V5. Corn’s coming right along, looks pretty good. A little bit of hail here too, but I don’t think it’s going to be much of an issue. Stands for the most part are pretty good, pretty solid.”
Zemlicka says soybean emergence has been slow due to the wet, cool conditions, and there are a few fields that still need planted.
“People were still working on planting soybeans when we got the recent rain.”
He says recent rain totals ranged from a half inch to as much as four inches in the northeast part of South Dakota; the southern part of the state has been drier.
South Dakota’s corn is rated 61 percent good to excellent, with soybean conditions rated 57 percent good to excellent, according to USDA’s first condition ratings of the season.
RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) – The South Dakota Community Foundation is encouraging nonprofits to apply for funding this June.
Beth Massa and Ginger Niemann joined us live with what you need to know before applying.
Watch the full interview above.
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