Source: Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids
By increasing cigarette taxes by $1 per pack, the states could raise more than $9 billion in new annual revenue to help close severe budget shortfalls, while also reducing smoking and saving lives, according to a new report released today by a coalition of public health organizations.
A national poll released along with the report finds that 67 percent of voters support a $1 tobacco tax increase. The poll also found that voters far prefer higher tobacco taxes to other options, such as other tax increases or budget cuts, for addressing state budget deficits.
- Raise $9.1 billion in new annual revenue;
- Prevent more than 2.3 million kids from becoming smokers;
- Prompt more than 1.2 million adult smokers to quit;
- Prevent more than 1 million premature, smoking-caused deaths; and
- Save $52.8 billion in health care costs.