The grades are in and Washington state is failing when it comes to reducing tobacco use, according to the American Lung Association.
In its latest report, the Association gives the state failing grades for tobacco prevention, access to addiction services, and for not increasing the smoking age to 21.
The state gets an "A" for "smoke-free air" and a "C" for taxing tobacco products.
In order to reduce tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke, the Association recommends the state increases funding for prevention programs, raises the sale age to 21, and continue with its strict smoke-free policies.
The Association gave 43 states an "F" in funding tobacco prevention programs and 37 states an "F" in access to tobacco addiction services.
An effort in Olympia is currently underway to raise the the smoking age in Washington state to 21. Legislators have attempted to do the same in the past, though this year it appears like there might be enough support.
State Attorney General Bob Ferguson, who has backed the effort of raising the purchase age to 21 for several sessions, previously said the current legislation appears to have the support of the lobbyist for tobacco company owners Phillip Morris USA.
A recent study found that more teens are vaping nicotine, with nearly 21 percent of high school seniors who responded saying they vaped recently.
Though the one report from the Association gives the state a few failing grades, local jurisdictions aren't sitting idly by.
The King County Board of Health recently banned all tobacco products at public stadiums - T-Mobile Park (Safeco Field), CenturyLink Field, KeyArena, and others. Public Health Seattle & King County recently reported 94 percent of retailers also turn people under 18 away when it comes to the sale of e-cigarettes.
