The state's best grade, a B, was in the smoke-free air category - but the association suggests allowing local governments to pass stricter laws and banning smoking in bars, airports and other workplaces.

In the upcoming state legislative session, Sen. Michael Waddoups, R-Taylorsville, will revive a failed bill from last year that would ban smoking in all private clubs. And he has ramped it up to include social, religious or fraternal clubs and any building that is rented or leased for private functions.

Airports and hotel rooms would be excluded, he said.

"I'm doing it for the benefit of the employees - the cooks, musicians, waiters," Waddoups said, referring to Senate Bill 19. "I believe secondhand smoke is at least as dangerous as reported. I think there will be strong opposition."

The Utah Hospitality Association probably will fight the bill. The group has said it believes banning smoking should be a decision made by the clubs and the bars, not government.

The American Lung Association report released Monday reviews every state, and found only Maine deserved A's in all four of its categories: tobacco use prevention funding, smoke-free air, cigarette tax and youth access.

Utah does lead the nation in having the lowest smoking rates for adults (10.5 percent) and high school students (7.3 percent).

"Though the rate is low, smoking still significantly impacts the physical and financial health of all Utahns," the association said. ". . . for the past six years, the Legislature failed to designate even half of the minimum amount of funding recommended for tobacco control and prevention programs by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC]."

Nearly 440,000 people die each year of tobacco-related illnesses in the United States, costing $167 billion in health care expenses and lost productivity. The association says spending more money on controlling tobacco has been proved to reduce the number of smokers.

In 2005, Utah received $28.3 million from the 1998 tobacco settlement agreement with states. Lawmakers diverted a chunk to the state's rainy day fund, then allocated $4 million directly to tobacco prevention and $15 million to other programs, including the state's children's health insurance program, drug courts and the Attorney General's Office.

The state budgeted an additional $4.6 million for prevention from taxes and a CDC expenditure, but that falls far below the CDC's $15 million benchmark for prevention funding.

Lena Dibble, media coordinator with the Utah Department of Health's Tobacco Prevention and Control Program, said the state could do better but that the department uses its money wisely.

"We focus on doing a lot with the money we have," she said. "We've seen tobacco rates decrease. It's really not our position to ask for more money; it's up to the Legislature to decide what it spends" money on.

As far as getting an F in youth access to cigarettes, Dibble said: "We encourage retailers to ask for IDs for anyone under 27, not 21," which is the standard.

Retailers are not legally required to ask for identification for anyone buying tobacco products, but they face penalties if they get caught selling them to anyone younger than 19.

Utah also received a D for its 70 cents-per-pack tax; the state average is 92 cents.

chamilton@sltrib.com