State's anti-tobacco plans need improvement, report says

Maryland's efforts to help keep smokers away from cigarettes are a step in the right direction, but not nearly enough, according to a new report from the American Lung Association.

Yesterday the organization released "Helping Smokers Quit: State Cessation Coverage," its first report where it evaluated each state based on the services provided to help smokers kick the habit. Maryland received an inadequate rating mainly because the Medicaid program provides some level of coverage for tobacco prevention, but not enough, officials said.

There were about 19 million adults across the nation who tried to quit smoking...