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Coalition Tells Lawmakers To Unite Behind Strong Public Health Policies
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Michelle Zimmerman
American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
Phone: (888) 227-6446 Ext. 8601
E-mail: [email protected]
Coalition Tells Lawmakers To Unite Behind Strong Public Health Policies
Harrisburg, PA – July 8, 2016 – The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), American Heart Association (AHA) and American Lung Association (ALA) today called on lawmakers to unite behind strong policies that will protect the health of Pennsylvanians and reduce the costly toll tobacco has on people and the economy. The coalition is supportive of legislation that will significantly increase the tax on cigarettes by at least $1.00 per pack and establish a tax on all other tobacco products (OTP), including e-cigarettes, at 40 percent of the wholesale price.
Tobacco is the number one preventable cause of death, prematurely taking the lives of 22,000 Pennsylvanians each year. The adult smoking rate in Pennsylvania is 20 percent, higher than the national average of 15 percent. Alarmingly, Pennsylvania’s youth smoking rate is 13 percent compared to 11 percent nationally. We need stronger policies in place that will keep kids and adults alike from picking up the deadly addiction.
“A tobacco tax increase of $1.00 or more per pack of cigarettes is a win-win-win for the state.
It is a win for public health that would save 32,200lives. It is a win for our economy that would generate new annual revenue and save $2.19 billionin long term health care costs. And it is a politically popular win that 72 percent of Pennsylvanians support,” said Diane Phillips, Pennsylvania government relations director, ACS CAN.
“I encourage the General Assembly to come together and pass legislation that will strengthen tobacco prevention and control policies which undoubtedly will save lives,” said Michael Huff, volunteer for the AHA. “By voting in favor of these important tax policy measures, lawmakers will move Pennsylvania in the right direction on this important public health issue.”
“We know increasing Pennsylvania’s tobacco tax is critical to helping people quit and preventing our youth from using tobacco products,” said Jennifer Folkenroth, tobacco control team lead, ALA. “Most adult tobacco users want to quit, and lawmakers have the ability to ensure all people have access to lifesaving programs to help them through the process. Increasing the tax on cigarettes by $1.00 per pack would prevent 48,100 kids from starting to smoke and help 65,600 current adult smokers quit.”
Throughout the budget process the coalition has worked to educate the Governor and Legislature on the public health benefits of a $1.60 per pack increase and establishing a tax of 40 percent of wholesale on other tobacco products. The coalition applauds the proposal by the Governor and House of Representatives to increase the tax on cigarettes by $1.00 per pack and establish a tax on other tobacco products at 40 percent of wholesale. An increase of less than $1.00 per pack in the tax on cigarettes will have little to no direct health impact on Pennsylvanians.
Keeping kids from starting to use tobacco and helping smokers quit is good for Pennsylvania’s health and our bottom line.
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