Smoking and Tobacco

Quitting Tobacco: Save Lives, Save Money in Medicaid and State Employee Plans

Wednesday, October 20, 2010 at 12:00 AM

Quitting tobacco use improves individuals’ health, but state governments also benefit. State Medicaid programs pay an average $607 million per year in tobacco-related health care costs, and employees who quit using tobacco take fewer sick days and have lower health care costs. For every dollar states spend on smoking cessation, returns to the state average $1.26 in avoided productivity losses, direct medical expenditures and premature deaths. The American Lung Association and the Partnership for Prevention analysis of insurance coverage for smoking cessation treatment is summarized, including state by state listing of coverage in state Medicaid and state employee plans for smoking cessation, as well as statewide workplace smoking bans.

State Cigarette Taxes: Can States Count on Revenue?

Debra Miller

Friday, July 23, 2010 at 12:11 PM

A new CSG Capitol Facts and Figures examines state cigarette taxes.

State Cigarette Taxes

Wanda Fowler

Friday, July 23, 2010 at 11:06 AM

Cigarette taxes are a means to raise state revenue in a down economy as well as to discourage the use of tobacco. Studies have found that increasing the price of tobacco effectively reduces smoking rates and can potentially save billions of dollars in medical expenses and loss of productivity annually. However, states have failed to use the increased tax revenues to expand tobacco prevention and control programs.

Cybercrime, Consumer Protection and Tobacco Settlement are Top Issues for State Attorneys General in 2010

Audrey Wall

Tuesday, June 1, 2010 at 12:00 AM

While the modern office of the attorney general continues to perform its traditional role of providing legal advice and legal representation in matters affecting the state’s interests, those state interests now include an infinitely broader range of social and economic policies and protection of the public interest. Three of the top issues for attorneys general this year are cybercrime, consumer protection and tobacco. As the chief legal officer of each state or jurisdiction, attorneys general are committed to arresting online predators and providing services to victims of child pornography, protecting consumers during the economic downturn from lending abuses and scams, and continuing to interpret, implement and enforce the Master Settlement Agreement reached with the tobacco industry in 1998.

Resolution on Smoking Cessation

CSG Executive Committee

Wednesday, November 14, 2007 at 12:00 AM

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council of State Governments encourages states and the federal government to support smoking cessation initiatives and the coverage of smoking cessation therapies to assist individuals in their efforts to quit smoking while reducing the cost burden of the complications from tobacco use on the Medicaid program and the economy;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Council of State Governments urges state legislatures and state health officials to include the coverage of smoking cessation programs and treatments in their prevention and wellness initiatives with the goal of decreasing total health costs while improving the productivity of employees.