HomeMy WebLinkAboutState of Tobacco Control Report - Updated Grading Methodology - American Lung AssociationASSOCIATION.
IN CALIFORNIA
OP.QVILLE CALIFORNIA
State of Tobacco Control Report — Updated Grading Methodology
Report will include tobacco control grades for all 482 incorporated cities and towns in California
Dear Board of Supervisors:
For over a decade the American Lung Association has released a national State of Tobacco Control (SOTC) report,
with the next one scheduled to be released in January 2015. In conjunction with the national SOTC report, the
American Lung Association in California releases a tobacco control report card for all 482 incorporated cities and
towns and 58 counties in California entitled, State of Tobacco Control— California Local Grades Report. This year,
the American Lung Association in California has developed a new grading methodology to use for the annual
report to better reflect the strong local policies passing throughout the state.
While we have made enormous progress in the fight against tobacco, it is still the number one cause of
preventable death in the United States. Since 1964, we have cut smoking rates by more than half, dramatically
reduced exposure to secondhand smoke, reduced rates of lung cancer and other tobacco -related diseases and
fundamentally changed public attitudes about tobacco resulting in millions of lives saved. Despite this progress,
tobacco remains a dangerous threat, killing almost 34,000 Californians each year, causing illness in even more
and costing the state nearly $22 billion in health care bills and lost productivity. More needs to be done to
decrease these numbers and to stop the 20,300 children in California who start smoking each year from picking
up this deadly and addictive habit.
Over the past 50 years, we have developed proven strategies that can achieve our public health goals if they are
fully and effectively implemented. These strategies are reflected in the grading categories in both the national
and local I SOTC reports.
Here in California we've used the same methodology for grading the SOTC report for the past six years. This year
we will use an updated methodology. In the six years since the original methodology was developed, the bar has
been raised by cities and counties across the state passing strong policies. We want our grading methodology to
reflect these strong policies that we know will improve the health of California residents.
In the new methodology, grades are assigned for the following policy categories: Smokefree Outdoor Air,
Smokefree Housing, and Reducing Sales of Tobacco Products. These three grades, plus an Emerging Issues bonus
point section, are then averaged for one Overall Tobacco Control Grade. The updated grading methodology for
the State of Tobacco Control Report— California Local Grades may result in jurisdictions receiving adjusted
grades.
We encourage you to work with us to improve your city's tobacco control grade. Please visit our About Us page
at http://www.lung.org/California to contact your local American Lung Association in California office for more
information on the impact of smoking in your community and what can be done to improve your grade.
We hope you will join us in the fight to breathe easier.
Kimberly Amazeen
Vice President, Programs & Advocacy
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Anita Lee
Interim Chief Executive Officer
Contact: Kimberly Amazeen, Vice President of Programs and Advocacy at (916) 585-7670 or Kimberly.Amazeen@lung.org