Federal Grades

The American Lung Association has identified four key actions for the Biden Administration and Congress to take in 2022 that will help ultimately eliminate the death and disease caused by tobacco use:  

1. FDA must adhere to the Tobacco Control Act and reject product marketing applications (PMTAs) for any product that fails to prove it is appropriate for the protection of the public health, including all flavored products; 
2. The Biden Administration must propose and finalize rules that will remove all menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars from the marketplace;  
3. Congress must increase federal funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s Office on Smoking and Health to help states combat the youth e-cigarette epidemic and to further strengthen its “Tips from Former Smokers” Campaign; and 
4. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must clarify and ensure that most health plans, including state Medicaid expansion plans, cover a comprehensive tobacco cessation benefit without barriers and cost-sharing: and Congress must pass the “Quit Because of COVID-19” Act.