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.

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