The American Lung Association has been advocating tobacco prevention and cessation in an effort to end lung cancer and other respiratory diseases that result from smoking. Promoting policies that create smoke-free areas, raising the legal tobacco buying age and eliminating marketing programs targeted at youth have successfully reduced smoking rates.
Tobacco use has been in decline in recent years - 15% of adults smoked cigarettes in 2015 compared with 20% usage just ten years ago. Still, the CDC reports more than 480,000 Americans die each year as a result of cigarette smoking.
The American Lung Association in Pennsylvania is releasing its 15th annual "State of Tobacco Control Report" which analyzes tobacco usage and the efficacy of tobacco control legislation.Deborah Brown, President and CEO and Joy Meyer, Vice President of Community Impact of the American Lung Association of the Mid-Atlantic joins us on Thursday's Smart Talk to discuss the findings of this report and take your questions about trends in tobacco use and effective means of reducing these preventable deaths.