The IMPACT Delaware Tobacco Prevention Coalition, with the American Lung Association as the lead organization, conducted statewide activities to reduce tobacco use, particularly among children and youth.

The project was part of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) national program SmokeLess States®.

Key Results
Among the results of the project are the following:

• Delaware passed a comprehensive Clean Indoor Air Act which also overturned preemption.
• Delaware increased its cigarette excise tax from 24 to 55 cents per pack.
• The University of Delaware went smoke-free.
• Delaware passed legislation that limits youth access to tobacco products.
• Delaware created the Delaware Health Fund, a repository for all the monies from the Master Settlement Agreement.
• The coalition helped each Delaware hospital create a tobacco education program for patients.
• Delaware instituted mandatory compliance checks in retail outlets selling tobacco products in 1998.
• The IMPACT Delaware Tobacco Prevention Coalition developed a comprehensive tobacco control plan for the state, A Plan for a Tobacco Free Delaware.

Funding
RWJF provided $1,448,505 for this project from April 1997 to February 2004. Other sources — including the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association and the American Lung Association — contributed $424,000 to support lobbying and other activities. No RWJF funds were used for lobbying. (See the Appendix for a list of additional funders.)