Report: Alabama failed to protect children from tobacco-related - ABC 33/40 - Birmingham News, Weather, Sports

Report: Alabama failed to protect children from tobacco-related disease, death

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  • Friday, May 17 2013 11:17 PM EDT2013-05-18 03:17:33 GMT
    An inmate is on the loose in Etowah County.  The Sheriff's department says an inmate kitchen worker escaped the Etowah County Detention Center (ECDC) Friday morning.  Justin Wade Hopkins, 30, escaped from
    The Etowah County Sheriff's Office says an inmate kitchen worker escaped the Etowah County Detention Center Friday morning. 

The American Lung Association says the state of Alabama has failed to protect children from tobacco-caused diseases and death.  The organization cites the its "State of Tobacco Control 2013" report released today.

The ALA says the state failed to protect children from "Big Tobacco's marketing tactics by neglecting to invest in programs and policies proven to reduce tobacco use."  Alabama received failing grades in tobacco prevention and control program funding, smokefree air, cigarette tax and cessation coverage.

The ALA says tobacco causes an estimated 7584 deaths in Alabama each year and costs the state economy $3,678,740,000 in healthcare costs and lost productivity.  The association cites a report by the Surgeon General in 2012, which said the failure of states to put money into programs and make policies that reduce tobacco use resulted in three-million new youth and young smokers in the U.S.

 

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