About us

History: CAFE Iowa CAN (CAFE) was organized in response to the Supreme Court’s decision on May 7, 2003 on the local government’s authority to pass laws regulating smoking at the local level. Citizens from across the state came together to advocate for local control and smokefree environments. Our goal was to educate the public about the dangers of secondhand smoke and prepare them to become better advocates. CAFE helped draft Iowa’s comprehensive tobacco prevention strategy.

Our Accomplishments:

  • In 2007, the Iowa legislature passed a $1.00 tobacco tax and an increased spending on tobacco control.
  • In 2008, the Iowa legislature passed a strong smokefree law that protects 99.8 percent of Iowa workers, leaving only the casino workers at risk. This was a compromise that was necessary to get the bill passed.
  • Saved the Division of Tobacco Use Prevention and Control from being defunded altogether.  Funding had been cut from $12.8 million in 2008 to $3.2 million in 2012.  CAFE lobbied to get it back to $5.2 million in 2013. In 2017 the funding was cut to $4 million dollars where it has remained.

Our 2021 Legislative Objectives:

  1. Increase the tax on cigarettes by $1.50 per pack with a parallel increase in the tax on all tobacco products including e-cigarettes, at a rate of 64% wholesale.
    • Increasing the price of tobacco is the most effective way to reduce tobacco use
    • Tax all other tobacco products at a parallel level. Tax e-cigarettes and all
  2. Increase funding for tobacco prevention programs and cessation services by $8.78 million, for a total of $12.8 million.
    • Iowans deserve an effective comprehensive tobacco prevention program
    • Iowans who want to quit should have the resources they need
    • Tobacco prevention funding has been cut from $12.8 million to $4 million. That’s wrong!
  3. Remove the casino exemption and add e-cigarettes and all vapor products to the Smoke Free Air Act
    • All Iowans deserve a workplace free of tobacco smoke and the hazardous vapors emitted from e-cigarettes.
    • Iowa’s 9,200 casino workers deserve the right to breathe smoke-free air.