American Heart Association joins other health groups to urge action on state tobacco excise taxes

American Heart Association
Monday, 25 February 2002

The American Heart Association joined with other public health groups today to urge governors and other lawmakers to increase state tobacco excise taxes as a means to save lives, improve health, and support budget shortfalls at a Smokeless States' press conference.

Smokeless States is a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation that supports statewide efforts to reduce tobacco use among Americans, particularly children and youth.

"We, in the public health community, already know the value of increasing state tobacco taxes, particularly in terms of saving lives," said Katherine Krause, executive vice president of Advocacy for the American Heart Association. "Simply put, higher taxes encourage smokers to quit by offering an economic incentive to end a nasty and dangerous habit, which in turn help states reduce smoking–related health care costs."

Nationwide, tobacco use costs Americans an estimated $130 billion in medical expenses annually. Krause explained that increasing excise taxes on cigarettes and other tobacco products is an important weapon in the fight against heart disease and stroke.

More than 400,000 people die each year from smoking nationwide, and more than 40 percent of those die from cardiovascular diseases, including heart disease and stroke, she added.

According to recent projections, if each state increased its cigarette excise tax by 50 cents, they would collectively raise $9.6 billion in additional cigarette tax revenue and save $28.4 billion in long-term health care costs, as well as save lives of more than 280,000 adults.

"No state can afford to ignore such a tremendous opportunity to increase its revenue, improve health, reduce medical expenses and save lives, particularly those of our youth," Krause said. "Economic studies have shown that every 10 percent increase in the price of cigarettes reduces adult smoking by four percent and teen smoking by roughly seven percent. Now that's effective public health policy. Especially considering that more than three million kids age 12 to 17 are current smokers and more than 5,000 kids try their first cigarette each day."

For more information, or to contact American Heart Association, see their website at: www.americanheart.org