Tobacco prevention efforts are weak in California and most of Santa Barbara County , according to national and regional reports by the nonprofit American Lung Association (ALA). The organization, dedicated to reducing tobacco-related disease and death, released the 2016 State of Tobacco Control and California Local Grades reports Wednesday, which gave the state failing grades for a low cigarette tax, underfunded tobacco prevention programs, and poorly promoted treatment services. California earned a “B” for enforcing smoking restrictions in the workplace and at public schools, restaurants, retail stores, and recreational areas, among other places.
Six cities in S.B. County received overall tobacco prevention grades of “D” and “F.” Assigned annually, the rankings are based on whether or not state and municipal laws “adequately [protect] citizens from the enormous toll tobacco use takes on lives and the economy,” stated the report.
The cities of Santa Barbara and Buellton were given overall tobacco control grades of “D,” while Guadalupe, Lompoc, Santa Maria, and Solvang each received an “F.” Goleta earned a “C”; Carpinteria and unincorporated county areas a “B.” The City of Santa Barbara received straight “D” grades in three ALA evaluation categories — smoke-free outdoor air, smoke-free housing, and reducing tobacco sales. In the “Emerging Issues” category, focused on flavored tobacco products like vapes and e-cigarettes, the city received zero points, equivalent to an “F.”