It's not the best report card, but the American Lung Association says Florida is doing better than other states when it comes to reducing tobacco use.
The 24th annual State of Tobacco Control report grades states and the federal government on the policies and laws designed to protect the public from harmful tobacco use in five categories:
- Prevention and cessation funding
- Smoke-free air
- Tobacco taxes
- Access to cessation services
- Flavored tobacco products
Florida received C’s in smoke-free air and access to cessation services, and F’s in the other three categories.
The grades are almost the same as last year’s report, with the only change being an improvement in the access to cessation services category, which moved from a D to a C.
SEE MORE: Read Florida’s ALA report card here
While these results may seem alarming, officials said there’s more to it than meets the eye.
Thomas Carr, Director of Nationwide Policy with the ALA, commended state lawmakers on their efforts to allocate funds to Tobacco Free Florida, the state’s tobacco control program.
“It’s less concerning than it looks,” he said. “I think Tobacco Free Florida does a good job with the funds they’re given.”
While the annual allocation of these funds is required by the Florida Constitution, it still falls short of the federally recommended amount.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends $194.2 million be spent annually on tobacco control programs in Florida.
This year, Tobacco Free Florida will receive about $93 million from the state and federal governments, less than half of the CDC target.
However, Carr said the mere existence of the program already places Florida ahead of other states whose programs had to be disbanded due to federal budget cuts.
“The CDC provides grants to all 50 states, and those were delayed, so some states had to furlough their staff,” he said. “But Florida was in a different situation, they have a good amount of state money.”
But he said there’s still room for improvement.
“For example, cigars are completely exempt from tobacco taxes,” Carr said. “There’s a lack of regulation that could be something to watch.”
And efforts to enact stricter tobacco regulation in the state have had mixed results.
During the 2025 legislative session, Florida lawmakers filed multiple tobacco and vaping bills, but none passed.
Carr suggested other stronger policies where Florida could improve its grades.
“One area for improvement would be better Medicaid coverage for tobacco cessation treatments,” he said. “Another one is reinstating local control of tobacco so that communities can regulate tobacco products again and be able to improve the smoke-free air grade.”
