Reducing the Burden of Tobacco for Iowans

The Iowa Tobacco Prevention Alliance (ITPA) is comprised of public health organizations committed to reducing tobacco-related death and disease by advocating for effective tobacco control policies that prevent Iowans from starting and helping them quit. Tobacco remains the leading cause of preventable death in Iowa and directly accounts for more than $1.49 billion in smoking-related health care expenditures annually. Iowa’s youth are vaping at an alarming rate, nearly twice the national average. Smoking and vaping rates among Iowa’s youth have remained stable while the national average has declined by 50% or more. Due to these staggering rates, our partner organizations are particularly eager to work with you to implement proven tobacco prevention and cessation public policy solutions as we move into the 2025 Legislative Session to prevent the impact this is having on our most important asset.

2025 Legislative Priorities

• Increase the cost of all tobacco products , including e-cigarettes and alternative nicotine products: ITPA recommends increasing the cigarette tax by $1.50 per pack with an equivalent increase on the tax of all other tobacco products, which would result in nearly $90 million in new annual revenue.
• Advocate for increased investment in evidence-based tobacco prevention and control programs. Iowa allocates $4.02 million to its tobacco prevention and control program. The CDC recommends $30.1 million to combat Big Tobacco's message, prevent kids from starting to using tobacco products, and help adults quit.

Public health evidence shows the most effective ways to reduce tobacco use are by increasing the price of all tobacco products through regular and significant tax increases, defining and regulating e-cigarettes as tobacco products, including prohibiting their use in public places, and investing in comprehensive fact-based tobacco prevention and cessation programs to prevent kids from starting tobacco and to help adults quit.

Please stand with our organizations and the public health community to support fact-based practices to reduce and prevent tobacco and vaping use among all Iowans.

For more information, please reach out to the Iowa Tobacco Prevention Alliance at [email protected]. 

The Iowa Tobacco Prevention Alliance is made up of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, American Heart Association, the American Lung Association, Clean Air for Everyone (CAFE), and Americans for Nonsmokers' Rights.