Sunday, May 6, 2007

Annotation #5

American Lung Association: As Other States Move Forward, Minnesota's Grade Drops in Annual Tobacco 'Report Card'
PR Newswire. NY
Jan. 9, 2007
A report by the American Lung Association said that Minnesota is falling behind other states in four areas related to tobacco. Minnesota scored a C in tobacco program funding. Their grade was at a B last year. Minnesota scored an F for smoke-free air. This is the grade we have earned for 5 years in a row. We earned a C for youth access policies and a C for cigarette taxes. These other grades have stayed the same since last year. The report also estimated the economic cost of smoking in Minnesota to be $2,743,123,000. Minnesota used to protect nonsmokers and smokers from secondhand smoke by passing a Clean Indoor Act, but now there is hardly any money going out to help Minnesotans quit smoking. We are falling behind other states with smoke-free laws.

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