Context: Policy is an effective tool for reducing the health harms caused by tobacco use. State laws can establish baseline public health protections. Preemptive legislation at the state level, however, can prohibit localities from enacting laws that further protect their citizens from public health threats.
Approach: Preemptive state tobacco control laws were assessed using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's State Tobacco Activities Tracking and Evaluation System. Based on the assessments, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention quantified the number of states with certain types of preemptive tobacco control laws in place. In addition, 4 different case examples were presented to highlight the experiences of 4 states with respect to preemption.
Discussion: Tracking and reporting on preemptive state tobacco control laws through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's State Tobacco Activities Tracking and Evaluation System provide an understanding of the number and scope of preemptive laws. Case examples from Hawaii, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Washington provide a detailed account of how preemption affects tobacco control governance at state and local levels within these 4 states.