Characteristics of proposed and enacted state tobacco control legislation in the United States, 2010-2015.

This study documents all tobacco control proposals (bills) introduced in the United States into all 50 state legislatures from the start of 2010 through 2015 and assesses associations between tobacco-related strategies and tobacco product types with enactment of the bills into law. In total, members of state legislatures introduced 2801 tobacco control bills, and state legislatures enacted 17.4%. Bills most introduced addressed clean air (n = 696) and tax or price bills (n = 582), yet both had lower likelihood of enactment (each OR, 0.51; 95% CI 0.38-0.69) compared to bills on any other tobacco control strategy. Legislators introduced only 147 product manufacturing bills, but these had the highest odds of enactment (OR, 3.70, 95% CI 2.52-5.44) compared to any other intended strategy, followed by tax evasion (OR, 3.08; 95% CI 2.33-4.08) and retailer licensing or location (OR, 1.73; 95 CI 1.24-2.41). Compared to other products, bills regulating e-cigarettes had the highest enactment rate (21.2%). Despite introduction of many bills promoting traditional, evidence-based tobacco control strategies, these had less likelihood of enactment than others.