States, the Congress, and the Bush administration have all failed to properly regulate the tobacco industry and prevent smoking, according to a report from the American Lung Association.

Reuters reported Jan. 10 that the State of Tobacco Control 2007 report faulted states for spending too little of the proceeds from the 1998 tobacco settlement on prevention, and said that Congress has failed to improve regulation, such as passing a bill that would give the Food and Drug Administration the power to oversee tobacco products.

Bush was faulted for vetoing a healthcare bill that would have raised the federal tobacco tax from 61 cents per pack to $1 per pack.

"While many states have failed to make meaningful progress at protecting their most vulnerable citizens, the tobacco companies are spending billions of dollars annually marketing their deadly products," the report said, noting that the industry spent about $3 million on federal political action committees in 2005-06 and spent more than $96 million on donations to state candidates, committees, and ballot initiatives.

Some states won praise for passing indoor-smoking bans, but the report noted that "more than half of states have not passed comprehensive laws prohibiting secondhand smoke in workplaces and other public places. Until the political will can be found to implement the proven and effective policies graded in this report, over 438,000 people each year will continue to die from tobacco-related diseases."