WASHINGTON, D.C. – March 17, 2010 – The House of Representatives today passed the Prevent All Cigarette Trafficking (PACT) Act, sending a clear message to Internet vendors of tobacco products that they cannot skirt state excise taxes simply by selling their products online and requiring them to verify the identity and age of Internet purchasers of tobacco products. The PACT Act was passed by the U.S. Senate last week and now goes to the president for his signature.
Following is a statement from the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN):
“Internet sales of tobacco products have long been a way to circumvent state and local excise taxes, which have been proven to be effective in discouraging people from starting to smoke and encouraging current smokers to quit. For every 10 percent increase in the price of a pack of cigarettes, youth smoking declines by 7 percent and overall consumption decreases by 4 percent.
“The PACT Act requires Internet tobacco vendors to make a full tax payment to states and localities before they can deliver their product to online consumers, setting up a system that no longer allows the vendors to skirt state excise tax rules. Additionally, the legislation requires Internet vendors of cigarettes to take several steps to ensure that their products are not sold directly to minors, such as by requiring age and ID verification online at the time of purchase and at the time of delivery.”
“With 3,500 children trying their first cigarette every day and 1,000 becoming regular, daily smokers, age verification of Internet purchasers will help ensure that youth won’t have the Internet as an avenue to access tobacco products and collection of tobacco taxes on Internet sales will be an effective way to encourage smokers to quit.”
ACS CAN is the nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate organization of the American Cancer Society, dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem. ACS CAN works to encourage lawmakers, candidates and government officials to support laws and policies that will make cancer a top national priority. ACS CAN gives ordinary people extraordinary power to fight cancer. For more information, visit www.fightcancer.org.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Christina Saull or Steven Weiss
American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
Phone: (202) 585-3250 or (202) 661-5711
Email: [email protected] or [email protected]