WHEELING — More funding for education to prevent tobacco use in children and adults is needed in the Mountain State, according to the 2026 American Lung Association State of Tobacco Control Report.

The report released today gives West Virginia bad grades in five different categories:

• Funding for State Tobacco Prevention Programs – F

• Strength of Smokefree Workplace Laws – D

• Level of State Tobacco Taxes – F

• Coverage and Access to Services to Quit Tobacco – D

• Ending the Sale of All Flavored Tobacco Products – F

Dr. Robert Herron, a thoracic surgeon at the WVU Heart and Vascular Institute at Wheeling Hospital, said West Virginia has a high rate of smoking, a habit that leads to many diseases and death. Smoking impacts the entire body, not just the lungs. It can lead to heart disease and other cancers.

“We need to keep pushing for more funding for tobacco cessation programs, namely education,” he said. “Quitting is very difficult. It’s best to never pick it up in the first place.”

Herron said doctors and parents are on the front lines for tobacco education.

“For the general population, family doctors and practitioners do the bulk of the work when they see patients,” he said. “For grade schools and middle schools, more money would benefit an education program.”

Herron said the evidence is anecdotal, to date, but it appears vape devices filled with tobacco or other products are just as bad as other forms of tobacco use, such as smoking cigarettes.

“The long-term consequences are very concerning. It’s relatively new … There is some cause for concern. It’s very harmful to the lung and vascular system. The only good smoke is no smoke,” he said. “It’s not a safe alternative, in my opinion.”

According to the Tobacco Control Report, funding at the state and federal level needs to be restored.

“It is devastating to see the federal government largely abandon its tobacco control efforts. Walking away from the incredible progress the nation has made on reducing tobacco use over the past 50 years is unacceptable,” said Elizabeth Hensil, director of Advocacy at the American Lung Association in West Virginia. “States need to ramp up their tobacco prevention efforts even more to protect residents from disease and addiction caused by tobacco use.”

One state program to prevent use in children, RAZE, was impacted by federal cuts.

“In 2026, policymakers in West Virginia must focus on restoring funding for tobacco prevention and quit smoking programs to align with CDC recommended levels; preserving local control of smokefree laws throughout the state; and enact a significant tax increase that brings all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, to tax parity with cigarettes,” Hensil said.

The report notes, “Despite receiving $184,500,000 from tobacco settlement payments and tobacco taxes, West Virginia only funds tobacco control efforts at 5.6% of the level recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Lung Association urges Governor (Patrick) Morrisey and the legislature to increase funding for tobacco prevention and quit smoking programs.”