Our Priority: Improve the health of Kentucky's children. Click here to learn more!
Our Priority: Assure that all Kentuckian's have access to high quality, affordable health care. Click here to learn more!
Our Priority: Improve the efficiency and effectiveness of health care for Kentuckians. Click here to learn more!
Our Priority: Make prevention a priority for Kentucky's health policies and programs. Click here to learn more!
Kentucky Voices: Promoting Better Health in the Commonwealth. A series of short videos from real Kentuckians - patients, advocates and providers - sharing their personal healthcare stories. Click here to watch videos!

The Best Way to Reduce Smoking Among Kids

January 23rd 2009

 1 comment
Posted by Amy Barkely, Director
Tobacco States and Mid-Atlantic
Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids
 
 
What's the cost of inaction? When it comes to tobacco, it's $1.5 billion a year in Kentucky. That's the price we all pay in health care costs directly related to tobacco—$486 million of it paid by Kentucky Medicaid.  While other states are making great strides in reducing tobacco use, Kentucky has failed to seriously address it and we've got the smoking rates to prove it.  We made the national news again today because a new report from the Centers for Disease Control said we have the highest death rates from smoking of any state. That's no surprise since we are #1 in adult smoking and one of the highest in youth smoking. Read the related news story here for more disturbing details from the report.
 
What's the best way to reduce smoking among kids? Study after study shows it's RAISING THE PRICE OF TOBACCO which is accomplished by significantly raising the tax on tobacco products. As you've heard the health community say time and again, it's a win-win-win!  It's a single action that our legislature can take that will reduce smoking, generate revenue and save health care costs, and it's popular among Kentucky voters. A recent poll showed 69% support for a $1 tax increase.  That would bring our tax to $1.30 a pack.  There was 68% support for a 70 cent increase, as proposed by Governor Beshear.  Let's hope that the Kentucky General Assembly will support at least that amount when they return to Frankfort early next month! 
 
Watch this space for a discussion of all the excuses made by opponents of tobacco tax increases.

There's a reason why so many states have raised their cigarette taxes - some more than once. It's good health policy and a no-brainer in tough fiscal times. 

Comments

Rich Seckel said...

One of the saddest parts of the debate is the idea that we must keep our tobacco tax low so that Tennessee kids can keep getting cheap cigarettes here -- the so-called "cross border sales." (Yes, of course, adults come here to buy cigarettes, too. It's not good for them, either.)

posted at 7:28 PM on Jan 25th 2009

Post A Comment

Name:
Email:
  Due to spam bots, your email will not be displayed.
Website:
Remember Me:    
Comment:
Enter the Text
 
View All »

Coalition Partners