PIERRE, SD – Ahead of Election Day next week, leaders from the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), the American Lung Association and the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids express their concerns around South Dakota Initiated Measure 28, urging South Dakotans to vote “no” on the ballot measure. Introduced as a means to eliminate the state’s grocery tax, IM 28 has drawn the opposition of public health leaders from across South Dakota because of a key unintended consequence: the proposal would limit the state’s ability to curb tobacco use and prevent new people from starting to use these dangerous products.
There is far-reaching support for IM 28’s stated goal of eliminating the grocery tax with proponents lauding it as an opportunity to provide financial relief to families struggling with inflation. This support extends to public health groups, who are also concerned with the high cost of living and care. The imprecise language of the measure, however, has caused greater concern among patients, providers and public leaders alike given the hit it would deal to tobacco prevention and cessation efforts in South Dakota.
“While well-intentioned, IM 28’s lack of clarity concerning tobacco product taxation makes for a negative public policy for the state and its residents,” said Ben Hanson, South Dakota Government Relations Director for ACS CAN. “The policy equates to funneling money from state programs that help adults quit smoking and prevent youth from starting into tobacco companies’ pockets. It would serve as a significant gift to Big Tobacco and that is not something that we can afford to do in the fight against cancer and tobacco-related illness.”
Research has demonstrated that regular and significant tobacco tax increases decrease consumption, making tobacco taxes one of the most effective ways to reduce tobacco use. Presently in South Dakota, $5 million of the tobacco tax revenue annually goes towards education and tobacco prevention and cessation efforts. The funding fuels programs that keep South Dakota residents – many of them children who are specifically targeted as the next generation of Big Tobacco’s lifelong customers – free of nicotine addiction, tobacco use and the poor health outcomes that follow.
In 2006, 60% of South Dakotans voted for the tobacco tax that IM 28 will inadvertently unwind. Public health groups are determined to oppose any measure that threatens to take away such efficacious tools in reducing the toll of tobacco across communities.
“Due to the potential for IM 28 to take away one of the most effective policies to reduce tobacco use, we urge voters to vote no on IM 28. Suppressing tobacco use must remain a public health and state policy priority,” said Molly Collins from the American Lung Association.
The American Cancer Society estimates there will be 5,680 cancer cases diagnosed this year in South Dakota and 1,780 deaths. Almost 30% of those deaths are attributed to smoking. Elimination of tobacco use leads to reduced risk of heart disease (South Dakota’s No. 1 killer), respiratory and other lung disease ailments and many forms of cancer. The Centers for Disease Control cites $433 million of annual healthcare costs alone in South Dakota from smoking and more than $838 million in lost workplace productivity.
ACS CAN, the American Lung Association and the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids want voters to know: IM 28 would make an already-heavy burden a great deal heavier.
“South Dakota lawmakers must pledge to respond to the potential passage of IM 28 by ensuring that taxes on tobacco products stay in place and future tobacco tax increases remain a policy option when they return to Pierre in January. It is a matter of life or death for far too many South Dakotans,” said Jodi Radke from the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.