The Center for Study of Tobacco and Society

Alabama Tobacco Headlines Collection

Alabama has the ninth highest adult smoking prevalence rate (20.9%) in the US. Youth smoking prevalence (14% in 2015) is significantly higher than the national rate (10.8%). Since its founding in 1999, the University of Alabama Center for the Study of Tobacco and Society has monitored and preserved Alabama newspaper coverage of the tobacco pandemic and efforts to end it. This collection includes news stories, feature articles, and commentaries, as well as coverage of the state’s most well-attended sporting event, NASCAR auto racing at the Talladega Superspeedway. In most years from 1972 to 2003, the racetrack hosted The Winston 500, sponsored by RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company’s Winston cigarette brand. Alabama newspapers represented in the collection include The Birmingham News, The Tuscaloosa News, The Huntsville Times, The Mobile Register, and The Crimson White (student newspaper of the University of Alabama). The stories date from 1998 to 2015.

Below are selections from our database on a variety of topics, click the title of each story to view them on Omeka.
Click the headings to view items with this tag.

Alabama Last State to Restrict Smoking

Article
Katherine Lee
The Tuscaloosa News 
June 24, 2003

Senate Approves Bill to Bank Smoking

Article
David White
Birmingham News
May 1, 2008

Tobacco Tax Bill Facing State House

Article
Michael Sznajderman
The Birmingham News
January 3, 1998

States Cut Funding for Tobacco Prevention

Article
Michael Felberbaum
Associated Press
Tuscaloosa News
December 9, 2009

State Fails in Tobacco Prevention Programs

Article
Vivi Abrams
The Birmingham News
Janaury 7, 2003

State Gets Dismal Marks in Efforts to Combat Cancer

Article
Stan Diel
Birmingham News
August 5, 2010

Cigarette Tax to Help Boost Budget

Article
David White
The Birmingham News
May 18, 2004

House Votes to Raise Cigarette Tax

Article
Bob Johnson
Huntsville Times
April 15, 2004

Tobacco Tax Could Reduce Smoking

Article
Wayne Grayson
Tuscaloosa News
March 31, 2009

City Weighs a Broad Ban on Smoking

Article
Dave Parks and Benjamin Niolet
The Birmingham News
July 14, 2002

Most Back a Smoking Ban

Article
Greg Garrison
Birmingham News
August 18, 2011

40 Years After Report, Tobacco Still Ravaging Lives

Article
Alan Blum, Eric Solberg, and Howard Wolinsky
Birmingham News
January 18, 2004