State Highlights

 

West Virginia

Monitor

In West Virginia, 26.5% of the adult population (aged 18+ years)—over 378,000 individuals—are current cigarette smokers. Across all states, the prevalence of cigarette smoking among adults ranges from 9.3% to 26.5%. West Virginia ranks 51st among the states.

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Among youth aged 12–17 years, 12.6% smoke in West Virginia. The range across all states is 6.5% to 15.9%. West Virginia ranks 45th among the states.

Among adults ages 35+ years, over 3,800 died as a result of tobacco use per year, on average, during 2000–2004. This represents a smoking-attributable mortality rate of 344.3/100,000. West Virginia's smoking-attributable mortality rate ranks 50th among the states.

Protect

West Virginia does not have a statewide smoke-free law that provides adequate protection against exposure to secondhand smoke in public places.

Among adults who work indoors, the percentage who reported anyone smoking in their work area within the preceding 2 weeks has remained lower in West Virginia than in the nation overall. Currently, West Virginia ranks 17th among the states for workplace exposure, at 5.9%.

Offer

Best Practices estimates 8% of smokers could access quitlines each year. In West Virginia, 6.4% of smokers called their quitline.

The Medicaid fee-for-service program in West Virginia provides full coverage for tobacco dependence treatment. West Virginia's Medicaid policy provides coverage for bupropion, but not varenicline. West Virginia's Medicaid policy provides coverage for individual and telephone counseling, but not group counseling.

Warn

Smoke-free home rules represent awareness of the dangers of secondhand smoke. In West Virginia, as in the nation, an increasing number of families have such a rule.

Currently, 62.6% of West Virginia homes have this rule. West Virginia ranks 50th among the states.

Rating point data were available for 42 states and the District of Columbia. Best Practices recommendations translate into an average of 800 targeted rating points (TRPs) in effective youth and 1200 gross rating points (GRPs) in effective general audience antitobacco media campaigns per quarter. West Virginia's major media market(s) aired an average of 68 youth TRPs and 289 general audience GRPs per quarter in 2008. West Virginia ranks 15th among the states for the number of youth TRPs and general audience GRPs aired.

Enforce

West Virginia preempts local regulation on display of tobacco products in commercial establishments. West Virginia allows local regulation of tobacco industry promotions and sampling.

West Virginia requires all establishments selling tobacco products over the counter and by vending machine to be licensed. Currently, 38 states require licensure for both over the counter and vending machine sales.

Raise

West Virginia maintains a $0.55 per pack tax and ranks 43rd among the states.

West Virginia does not have a minimum price law.

Approximately 17% of the annual revenue generated from state excise taxes and settlement payments would fund West Virginia's tobacco control program at the Best Practices recommended amount. However, in 2007, West Virginia's funding for tobacco control was 24.1% of the recommended level. West Virginia ranks 20th among the states.