There was little praise for the federal government’s handling of smoking-prevention programs from the American Lung Association’s State of Tobacco Control and plenty of criticism that funding is still insufficient and regulations lacking.

An anti-smoking report card released by the American Lung Association this week gave a majority of poor grades, Ds and Fs, to the federal government and states this year, asserting that too little is being spent on anti-smoking programs and that there are still states to increase their taxes on cigarettes and restrict smoking in public places.

“Twenty-one states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have now approved comprehensive smoke-free air legislation,” was some of the appreciation found in the report.

“In 2007, seven states - Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, New Mexico, New Hampshire, Oregon and Tennessee - significantly strengthened their smoke-free air laws. Tennessee is the first traditional tobacco-growing state to pass strong restrictions on smoking in public places and workplaces.”

The report urged Congress once again to allow the Food and Drug Administration to regulate cigarettes.

It also said half of the states lack laws to prevent secondhand smoke, while cigarette taxes are below the national average of $1.11 in 28 states and the District of Columbia.

“Now is the time for leaders at the federal level to summon the political will to do what's right and finally shut the door on this country's tobacco epidemic,” Bernadette Toomey, president of the American Lung Association and chief executive officer, said.

“Preventable tobacco-related diseases kill more than 438,000 Americans annually, she pointed out,” she added.

She also emphasized that raising the price of cigarettes has been proven to reduce smoking, as would-be smokers are deterred by the expense.