Gilroy Earns F in Tobacco Control

Gilroy has received a F grade for its ordinances on tobacco control, receiving zero our of 12 possible points on the overall tobacco-control grade, according to the American Lung Association’s State of Tobacco Control 2012 report.

Gilroy received grades of F in three categories: Smokefree outdoor air, smokefree housing and in reducing the sale of tobacco products. The State of Tobacco Control 2012 - California Local Grades issues grades for all 482 cities and 58 counties in California on these policies.

In fact, nearly two-thirds of all California cities received an F grade in the 2012 report. In total, 355 municipalities, or 66 percent, failed.

The national report assigns grades to the states in four key areas—tobacco prevention and control spending, smokefree air, cigarette tax and cessation coverage. The grades are based on tobacco control laws and regulations in effect as of Jan. 1, 2012 and are available at www.stateoftobaccocontrol.org.

The state as a whole received an F for failing to adequately fund tobacco prevention and control programs, poor coverage of smoking cessation treatment and service and a D for its low cigarette tax.

Among the 50 states and the District of Columbia, California ranks 33rd for its $.87 per pack tax, far below the national average of $.146, the report said.

Good news for 45 of the 482 cities and towns graded in the report is that they raised their grades from 2011 due to adoption of anti-smoking ordinances in at least three categories reviewed by the report.

"Elected officials in these cities and counties showed great leadership in adopting policies to protect their residents and improve the health of their community," the report said.

In Santa Clara County, the cities that improved their grades due to passage of smokefree outdoor air policies are:

• Campbell, F to an A
• Cupertino, F to a D
• Los Altos, F to D

However, Campbell, Cupertino and Los Altos scored overall grades of D, F and F, respectively, in the report.

How did the rest of the cities in the county fare?

• Gilroy, F
• Los Altos Hills, F
• Milpitas, F
• Mountain View, F
• Palo Alto, F
• Saratoga, F
• Monte Sereno, F
• Sunnyvale, F

Who got an A in the state?

Albany, Baldwin Park, Calabasas, Compton, Contra Costa County, Glendale, Pasadena, Richmond, Santa Clara County, South Pasadena, Temecula and Union City.

Campbell received an A, along with Santa Clara County, for smokefree outdoor air; while Santa Cruz County and Watsonville received a B grade.

You can read the full report here.