Oklahoma Cigarette Tax Increase Will Reduce Suffering and Death from Cancer

WASHINGTON, D.C. – March 30, 2018 – “The $1-per-pack cigarette tax increase signed into law Thursday by Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin will help to discourage tobacco use and save lives from cancer and other serious tobacco-related diseases in the state. Research shows that regular and significant tobacco tax increases are one of the most effective ways to encourage tobacco users to quit and protect young people from becoming addicted.

“The state’s $1 per pack increase is projected to save an estimated 10,200 lives, keep 17,300 kids from becoming addicted and prompt more than 18,700 adults to quit. It’s not only the right move for the physical health of the state, but its fiscal health as well. The increase will generate an estimated $144.8 million in new annual revenue and save the state $767 million in long-term health care costs.

“Smoking is the number one preventable cause of death nationwide, and is expected to claim the lives of more than 480,000 Americans this year alone. Considering that one-third of all cancer deaths can be attributed to tobacco use, reducing its consumption is absolutely critical in the fight against cancer. The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) urges lawmakers in states still considering a significant tobacco tax increase to follow Oklahoma’s lead and do the right thing for the health of their state, as well as the budget.

“Oklahoma’s $1- per-pack increase will take the state from being ranked 36th in the nation for its cigarette tax rate to 15th. When Oklahoma’s increase goes into effect, the national average will shift from $1.72 to $1.74 per pack. However, nationwide health costs and lost productivity costs attributed to smoking are still conservatively estimated to be $19.16 per pack of cigarettes.

“Oklahoma joins California, Nevada and Pennsylvania in being the only states in the country to increase their cigarette tax by at least $1 since August 2014. ACS CAN will continue to advocate for significant and impactful tobacco tax proposals being considered currently across the country, as well as other proven tobacco control measures, including smoke-free laws that cover all workplaces, including restaurants and bars, and funding for tobacco control programs at CDC-recommended levels.”

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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