Georgia Gets Failing Grades Tobacco Prevention/Policy ATLANTA, GA (WABE) - Georgia is failing in its tobacco control laws and policies.
That's based on the annual state of tobacco control report just released by the American Lung Association.
WABE's Rose Scott reports:

Georgia receives Fs in three of the report's four categories;
Tobacco prevention and control spending
State health coverage to help people quit smoking
Failure to increase its cigarette tax
June Deen with the American Lung Association in Georgia blames state lawmakers:

DEEN: ((one of the most important things we could have done in the 2009 session of the legislature was raise the cigarette tax and we didn't do that))

The hike would have raised Georgia's cigarette tax by 1-dollar.
Deen believes for a state that's cash strapped a tobacco tax increase would serve multiple purposes:

DEEN: ((it's going to cut smoking because a price increase would be a deterrent for kids starting to smoke and it's encouragement for adults who want to quit and plus it brings in new revenue for the state))

The American Lung Association estimates nearly 2.2 billion dollars is spent on smoking related health care costs in Georgia.
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