Thirty-six states received failing grades on the report card, which evaluated a variety of health indicators and policies related to smoking cessation. Utah got the highest mark — a “satisfactory-minus” — while Nevada ranked last in progress and policy.

“It is alarming how far states are from meeting national goals the nation has set for reducing smoking among women and girls,” said study author Michelle Berlin, Ph.D., of Oregon Health and Science University.

The report card judged each state’s progress by comparing health indicators, including smoking rates among women in general and pregnant women, to the goals set by HHS Healthy People 2010 agenda. No states met the Healthy People 2010 standard for reducing smoking among pregnant women, and only Utah reduced their overall smoking rates to meet the standard.

Smoking cessation policies and programs lag behind as well. Almost half of the states do not have telephone counseling “quitlines,” no states met the goals for workplace bans on secondhand smoke and few have cigarette taxes high enough to discourage youth smoking.

“And only seven state Medicaid programs cover comprehensive smoking cessation treatment, and no state requires private insurers to cover such treatment,” the study authors concluded.

To read the full report, go to here.