ban in store transactions of tobacco sales in any specific category of retail outlet. It was through these laws and scientific reports that a multiple strategies were put in place to begin the process of reducing tobacco use among Americans. These scientific reports have collected some alarming scientific data, which linked a negative impact to cigarette smoking to all organs of the body, along with overall weakened health, and harm to a fetus developing in utero. In addition to causing multiple diseases, cigarette smoking has many other adverse effects on the body, such as impairing immune function and producing inflammation. These scientific reports produce supporting evidence that deem tobacco use as a public health threat, which have …show more content…
Comprehensive statewide tobacco con¬trol programs, the use of anti-tobacco media campaigns and widespread community pro¬grams aimed at reducing tobacco use, have prevented the initiation of tobacco and reduced the prevalence of tobacco use among adults and youth. Government and state programs aim to reduce disease, disability, and death related to tobacco use. A comprehensive approach—“one that includes educational, clinical, regulatory, economic, and social strategies—has been established as the best way to eliminate the negative health and economic effects of tobacco use.” Litigation against tobacco companies has successfully reduced tobacco use in the U.S. by placing restrictions on marketing methods, an increase in product prices, and mak¬ing tobacco industry documents available for scientific analy¬sis and strategic awareness. Tobacco product regulation has the potential to contribute to public health awareness through reductions in tobacco product addictiveness and harmfulness and by preventing false or misleading claims by the tobacco industry of reduced risk. Clever and attractive advertising and marketing activities by tobacco industry causes the onset and continuation of smoking among adolescents and young adults. After increasing the prices of tobacco products, including those resulting from excise tax increases, it has effectively prevented the start of tobacco use, initiated cessation, and reduced the intensity and occurrence of tobacco use among adults and youth. In Massachusetts, cigarettes are now over $8.00 per pack. The real price of a pack of cigarettes to society and to the state's economy is $26.34 per pack. Smoking costs Massachusetts millions of dollars every year that the state government and consumers could be