Mar 25
Mar 25
And gone if not reported out of committee to the floor in one chamber of the West Virginia Legislature by Monday and passed by one of the legislative chambers by Wednesday. The legislature missing this opportunity will keep West Virginia’s tobacco tax as the 8th lowest in the nation.
Failure to pass the tobacco tax this year means tens-of-thousands of kids will not see price as a deterrent and will begin using tobacco products and many will be addicted for what will be a shortened life. The same can be said for the nearly 20,000 current users who would have quit had the tax increase been implemented.
Also lost will be over $100 million in revenue which could have been utilized to prevent and treat chronic disease in West Virginia and expand health coverage to low-income working people in the state.
There’s still time but it is quickly passing.
Contact you legislators and Governor Manchin in the next 24 hours and ask that they meet this deadline and keep the tobacco tax legislation alive by passing the bill from one chamber next week.
If the health impact does not move them then perhaps the full scope of the 4.6% budget cuts the Governor has announced should be fully understood before the tobacco tax is taken off the table this year.
Action now is critical because if not passed by the House or Senate by Wednesday the legislation is dead for this session.
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