Poll: Almost Half Support a Federal Smoking Ban

WASHINGTON, DC -- Almost half of America would support a federal ban on smoking, according to a new poll out today.

Smoking has been on the decline for almost a decade, but today the government reports, says that's changing.

Tracie Potts has new details from Washington.

The Centers for Disease Control says after an 8-year decline the number of smokers stayed the same between 2004 and 2005.

The CDC blames states cutting 25% from programs to help smokers quit.

"The rate of quitting would double or even go up four-fold if we could fully apply everything we know and make it accessible to them."

The American Lung Association says quitting shouldn't be the only focus:

"If we spent more money and more effort and more political coin in getting teenagers to not start smoking or getting adults to quit smoking, the impact would be far greater."

What about making smoking illegal?

"Well, if I want to smoke, I want to smoke. You know, banning it completely even in my house? I don't think so."

But a poll commissioned by the Drug Policy Alliance finds 45% of Americans support a federal ban. "There's no safe second hand smoke"

Like other cities and states; Virginia banned smoking today on state property.

The Drug Policy Alliance fears a federal ban would push the supply of cigarettes onto the black market... Like in the days of prohibition:

"Is that supply going to be corporations that are regulated that pay taxes and the government can control? Or is it going to be drug traffickers, the mafia, terrorist groups?"

The CDC says smokers may also be addicted to the price of cigarettes which isn't going up nearly as much as it did just a few years ago.

The CDC report says the states with the fewest smokers are out west. The states with the highest smoking rates are along the Ohio River Valley. Kentucky ranks highest. Almost a third of its residents smoke.

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