Burlingame Earns "D" in Tobacco Policy

Burlingame fell short of making the grade in this year’s American Lung Association in California State of Tobacco Control 2012 report. The report issues grades to California cities for tobacco control policies. Burlingame earned a D.

When creating the report, Lung Association officials consider policies regarding smoke free outdoor environments, smoke free housing and reducing tobacco sales. Points were given in each category based on subcategories, and the points from all three categories determined the city’s final grade.

American Lung Association in California officials used the poor grades of cities like Burlingame as an example of why Californians should pass the California Cancer Research Act in June 2012.

“Now is the time for California to raise the grade,” said Jane Warner, President and CEO, American Lung Association in California in a press release. “The California Cancer Research Act is an historic opportunity for California voters to provide more than $855 million annually to fund research for cancer and other tobacco-related diseases as well as proven tobacco prevention, education, and law enforcement efforts which will prevent 228,700 kids in California from becoming addicted smokers."

Across the board, Burlingame fared poorly. The city received a D in the smoke free outdoor air category. This measures city regulations for smoking at restaurants, public events, recreational areas, service areas, sidewalks, worksites and entryways.

The city earned 4 points—the most possible—for its ban against smoking at public events and 3 for recreational areas, meaning smoking is prohibited in these parts of the city, but designated smoking areas are provided.

Burlingame got another D in the smoke free housing category. The city earned only two points for nonsmoking common areas. This means that smoking is prohibited in indoor common areas, but not outdoor ones.

Worse yet, Burlingame received a failing grade in reducing tobacco product sales, meaning no steps were taken to curb sales.

Burlingame received the exact same amount of point in the same categories as last year’s report, suggesting no changes were made to improve Burlingame’s State of Tobacco grade over the past year.

In San Mateo County Redwood City, San Mateo and San Carlos also received D grades. However, these cities’ grades are still better than the 355 California cities and counties earning F grades this year.

The best grade in the county went to Belmont, which earned a B.

To see the full report, click here.