A new report from the American Lung Association gives Virginia failing grades in four of five areas proven to prevent and reduce tobacco use and save lives.
The report urges Virginia lawmakers to pass a bill that would make the tobacco surcharge repeal permanent and work to address the Clean Indoor Air Act by closing loopholes in order to protect more Virginians from exposure to dangerous secondhand smoke.
All of these measures are aimed at reducing the overwhelming human and financial toll of tobacco use.
With the adult smoking rate at 10.9 percent and the high school tobacco use rate at 8.5 percent in Virginia, there is a pressing need for stronger action to eliminate tobacco use.
The 2025 “State of Tobacco Control” report evaluates state and federal policies on actions taken to eliminate tobacco use and recommends proven-effective tobacco control laws and policies to save lives.
“In addition to grading states’ tobacco control policies, this year’s ‘State of Lung Cancer’ report examines the tobacco industry’s increasingly aggressive actions to addict a new generation to tobacco and hinder proven public policies to prevent and reduce tobacco use,” said Aleks Casper, director of advocacy for the American Lung Association in Virginia.
In the Commonwealth, Casper said, tobacco industry lobbyists are working to stop or weaken tobacco control policies.
The tobacco industry is also introducing new products that appeal to youth like e-cigarettes that mimic smartphones, kid-friendly flavors and flavored nicotine pouches that are heavily marketed by social media influencers.
“To address these challenges, policymakers must act in 2025 to make the tobacco surcharge repeal permanent and work to close loopholes in Virginia’s Clean Indoor Air act by passing a comprehensive smokefree law,” said Casper.
Virginia receives failing grades
The “State of Tobacco Control” report grades Virginia and other states in five areas that have been proven to prevent and reduce tobacco use and save lives.
In the 2025 report, Virginia received the following grades:
- Funding for state tobacco prevention programs – Grade F
- Strength of smokefree workplace laws – Grade F
- Level of state tobacco taxes – Grade F
- Coverage and access to services to quit tobacco – Grade C
- Ending the sale of all flavored tobacco products – Grade F
State grades reflect actions taken by elected officials and do not reflect the work of state tobacco control programs or advocates.
Federal grades
The 2025 “State of Tobacco Control” report grades the federal government in five areas:
- Federal government regulation of tobacco products – Grade C
- Federal coverage of quit smoking treatments – Grade D
- Level of federal tobacco taxes – Grade F
- Federal mass media campaigns to prevent and reduce tobacco use – Grade A
- Federal minimum age of sale for tobacco products to 21 – Grade A
Conclusion
The 2025 “State of Tobacco Control” report urges Congress to provide additional funding to the FDA so they can enforce against and remove all illegal e-cigarettes the tobacco industry has introduced to the market.
To learn more about this year’s “State of Tobacco Control” grades and sign the petition, visit Lung.org/sotc.
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Crystal Graham
