Is Connecticut helping its smokers quit?

Though Connecticut has made some strides in funding measures that help smokers quit, there's still a lot of work to be done.

That's according to the American Lung Association's report "Helping Smokers Quit: Tobacco Cessation Coverage 2012," released Monday.

The report provides a comprehensive review of each state's tobacco cessation coverage and an up-to-date look at federal coverage and requirements under the Affordable Care Act.

According to the lung association, not only is smoking dangerous for your health, it's also costly. The association estimates that annual costs of tobacco use in the U.S. are $193 billion, and argues that providing comprehensive coverage of messages that help people quit smoking is crucial to saving lives and dollars.

The report shows that only two states, Indiana and Massachusetts, provide comprehensive cessation coverage through  Medicaid and four states -- Illinois, New Mexico, North Dakota and Rhode Island -- provide comprehensive coverage through state employee health plans.

Though Connecticut is faring better than some states -- in Alabama and Georgia, Medicaid doesn't cover smoking cessation costs at all -- the state can do better, said Michelle Marichal, acting director of health education and public policy for the American Lung Association in Connecticut, according to ctpost.com.

Marichal said Connecticut was one of two states to expand its Medicaid coverage of cessation in 2012, adding coverage of all seven tobacco cessation medications and individual counseling. "We are happy to say that, for the first time, Medicaid cessation coverage in the state is almost comprehensive and has few barriers," she said.