Tobacco Report Card | Video

Amy Fox | 1/15/2013

North Dakota`s 2012 tobacco report card is out. And, according to the American Lung Association, the state is getting better when it comes to air quality and education. But, there`s still one area of concern. North Dakota earned an "F" rating for cigarette tax. The state has not increased its cigarette tax since 1993.

The national average for cigarette tax is $1.49. But, in North Dakota, it`s only 44 cents. If a higher cigarette tax is passed in North Dakota, it could reduce tobacco use. "We know that youth when we raise the taxes don`t have as much disposable income, so they don`t initiate the tobacco usage. And, the other population it does impact is the poverty level, which has a high smoking population,” said First District Health Unit Tobacco Prevention Coordinator Renae Byre.

Byre says the Center for Tobacco Prevention and Control Advisory Board sent a letter to the state legislature in late December.

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