A new report gives North Carolina a failing grade for policies to reduce and prevent tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke. The American Lung Association released its annual “State of Tobacco Control” analysis this week.
Each state received a grade in five areas, including funding for tobacco use prevention and cessation programs.
North Carolina received an F in all five categories.
The advocacy group recommends that state lawmakers increase the cigarette tax to the national average of $1.81 per pack and expand policies that prohibit smoking in more places, among other things.
The report also focuses on youth vaping. It says high school e-cigarette use increased by 135 percent over the past two years. In December, federal legislation changed the legal age to buy tobacco products from 18 to 21.
According to the State Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, North Carolina remains the top producer of tobacco in the United States.