Marc Kaplan
Senior Regional Media Advocacy Manager
Albany, NY
ACS CAN Asks Governor Murphy to Veto Rollback of E-Cigarette Tax
June 27, 2019
TRENTON, NJ – Both houses of the New Jersey State Legislature today have passed legislation that includes an exemption for container e-liquid from the liquid nicotine tax signed into law last year by Governor Murphy. The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) is asking Governor Murphy to veto the short sighted and dangerous exemption.
More than 26 percent of cancer deaths in New Jersey are due to smoking. 21 percent of high school students in New Jersey used e-cigarettes in 2018 according to a report last year by the nonprofit Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids. 143,000 New Jerseyans now younger than 18 will die prematurely from smoking. We need to do everything we can to save these lives and an e-cigarette tax is a strong deterrent.
American Cancer Society Cancer Acton Network (ACS CAN) New Jersey Government Relations Director Samantha DeAlmeida said, “The liquid nicotine tax as signed into law, can save lives and protect health. The law should not be amended to allow for the exemption of dangerous products such as Juul. Young people are starting to smoke e-cigarettes such as Juul in record numbers. If this tax is rolled back, it makes it easier for New Jerseyans to get their hands-on e-cigarettes and start or continue this deadly addiction. The e-cigarette tax also generates revenue, prevents initiation of these products and ensures that more tobacco users quit instead of switching to a cheaper product.
“We urge Governor Murphy to veto this legislation.”
About ACS CAN
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.acscan.org.
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