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News
Protect Health of Pennsylvania By Increasing Price of Tobacco
April 30, 2015
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Michelle Zimmerman
American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
Phone: (888) 227-6446 Ext. 8601
E-mail: [email protected]
Legislators Urged to Protect Health of Pennsylvania Residents By
Increasing Price of Tobacco
Increase Would Save Lives and Generate Money in Pennsylvania
Harrisburg, PA. – April 29, 2015-American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) will host an event next Tuesday, May 5 with roughly 140 advocates to urge state lawmakers to stand up for the health of their constituents by passing a tobacco tax increase that would decrease use of these deadly products.
A poll finds Pennsylvanians overwhelmingly support an increase in the state tobacco tax. The poll, conducted by the nationally recognized polling firm Public Opinion Strategies (POS), found strong, bi-partisan support, with 72 percent of people support or strongly supports a proposal to increase the state tobacco tax in order to reduce tobacco use.
What’s more, the poll found that voters want an increase in the state tobacco tax to help balance the state’s budget. Out of a series of five proposals to help the state balance its budget, raising the tobacco tax ranks as the most popular measure to help curtail Pennsylvania’s budget shortfall. Furthermore, POS found that by a wide margin, Pennsylvanians support increasing the tax on cigarettes by $1.60 per pack. By 59%-40%, voters in Pennsylvania favor an increasing in the state tobacco tax of $1.60 per pack of cigarettes, bringing the total tax to $3.20.
Gov.Wolf’s call to increase the price of cigarettes by $1.00 is a step in the right direction. This measure will help Pennsylvania kids break the cycle of addiction and avoid tobacco-related disease.
“The governor’s proposed tobacco price increase is a step in the right direction, but Pennsylvania can do better,” said Valerie Pracilio, state lead ambassador. “Our volunteers plan to continue working with the governor and legislators to get the most out of our efforts to reduce the state’s burden of tobacco and reduce the number of cancer diagnoses and deaths in Pennsylvania.”
A significant increase of $1.60/pack in the price of cigarettes is estimated to keep 91,100 Pennsylvania kids from becoming tobacco-addicted adults, help 108,500 current Pennsylvania tobacco users quit, and save 57,600 Pennsylvanians from premature tobacco-related deaths.
ACS CAN, the nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate of the American Cancer Society, supports evidence-based policy and legislative solutions designed to eliminate cancer as a major health problem. ACS CAN works to encourage elected officials and candidates to make cancer a top national priority. ACS CAN gives ordinary people extraordinary power to fight cancer with the training and tools they need to make their voices heard. For more information, visit www.fightcancer.org.
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