Big 10 of Tobacco: America's Smokiest States

When it comes to thwarting Big Tobacco, some states aren't making the grade. In its sixth annual State of Tobacco Control report, released on January 10, the American Lung Association has compiled report cards for all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico that indicate how well each government is doing in efforts to stem tobacco use, which experts say kills 1,200 Americans daily. Judged in four areas—smoke-free-air laws, legislation that limits youth access to tobacco, funding of tobacco prevention and cessation programs, and cigarette taxes—here's a list of the bottom feeders (with several ties):

1. Mississippi
1. South Carolina
1. West Virginia
4. Kentucky
4. Nebraska
4. Virginia
7. Alabama
7. Missouri
7. Pennsylvania
7. North Carolina

The ALA report also identified these 10 states as those with the best tobacco control policies. And, as U.S. News recently reported, the dangers of tobacco lurk not only in cigarettes but also in hookah pipes.