Clear the Air

Cuirrently under consideration by the House Health and Human Resources Committee is HB-2746 which would increase the tobacco excise tax by raising the tax on cigarettes by 65 cents per pack and increasing the rate on other tobacco products from 7% of the wholesale price to 14% of the wholesale price.

Higher taxes produce a decrease in the number of children who smoke. On this point even the public health advocates and the tobacco industry agree. Industry documents show that Philip Morris, a corporate giant in the tobacco industry, believes that when taxes are raised the overall number of people who use tobacco products decreases. Another large tobacco company, RJ Reynolds, has data that shows that if tobacco prices were increased by 10 percent then the number of teenage smokers would decrease by 11.9 percent.

According to the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, increasing West Virginia excise tax would mean 12,400 children alive today will prevented from becoming adult smokers.

In addition to preventing children from starting using tobacco a tobacco tax increase, as proposed in this legislation, would result in 8,500 current adult smokers quitting and and would prevent 2,700 smoking-affected births.

This proposed tax increase would generate nearly $100 million in new revenue and realize the state nearly $300 million in long-term health savings.

Contact members of the House Health and Human Resources Committee and urge their strong support on HB-2746. Contact information for members of this committee is shown below. Please phone and email legislators now!

Delegate Don Perdue – Chair
(304) 340-3269
dperdue@mail.wvnet.edu

Delegate Hatfield - Vice-Chair
(304) 340-3140
hatfield@mail.wvnet.edu

Delegate Border - Minority Chair
(304) 340-3136
bordel@mail.wvnet.edu

Delegate Miller, J. –
(304) 340-3147
jonathan@delegatejmiller.com

Delegate Campbell
(304) 340-3230
tom.campbell@wvhouse.gov

Delegate Eldridge
(304) 340-3174
jeffeldridge96@yahoo.com

Delegate Fleischauer
(304) 340-3169
barbaraf@mail.wvnet.edu

Delegate Lawrence
(304) 340-3152
lawrencefordelegate@hotmail.com

Delegate Manypenny
(304) 340-3139
mmany@mail.wvnet.edu

Delegate Marshall
(304) 340-3900
chmarsh@mail.wvnet.edu

Delegate Moore
(304) 340-3189
cmoore@mail.wvnet.edu

Delegate Moye
(304) 340-3162
rickymoye@wvhouse.gov

Delegate Perry
(304) 340-3117
d.perry@wvhouse.gov

Delegate Phillips
(304) 340-3163
lgphill@mail.wvnet.edu

Delegate Poling, D.
(304) 340-3137
dan.poling@wvhouse.gov

Delegate Rodighiero
(304) 340-3154
rrodigh@mail.wvnet.edu

Delegate Spencer
(304) 340-3218
delspencer@aol.com

Delegate Staggers
(304) 340-3197
margaret.staggers@wvhouse.gov

Delegate Susman
(304) 340-3183
ssusman@mail.wvnet.edu

Delegate Wooton
(304) 340-3164
wrwooton@mail.wvnet.edu

Delegate Andes
(304) 340-3121
troy.andes@wvhouse.gov

Delegate Carmichael
(304) 340-3115
mcarmich@mail.wvnet.edu

Delegate Lane
(304) 340-3275
patrick.lane@wvhouse.gov

Delegate Miller, C.
(304) 340-3176
carol.miller@wvhouse.gov

Delegate Rowan
(304) 340-3157
ruth.rowan@wvhouse.gov

The Cabell-Huntington Board of Health today approved the new clean indoor regulation which will extend smoking prohibitions to bars and gambling parlours. Cabell County now joins 18 other counties in our state with comperehensive smoke free protection.

Approved by a vote of 4-0 the new regulation can be seen here.

Congratulations to the advocates in Cabell County who worked so hard on this and THANK YOU to the Cabell-Huntington Board of Health for taking this important step to advance public health.

The following tobacco-related bill was introduced today, Wednesday, January 27th, in the West Virginia Legislature:

SB-360 - Smoke Free West Virginia Act - Sponsored by Sen. Dan Foster

Bills are listed here for informational purposes only and no endorsement is to be implied. Clear the Air will review bills more in depth as they begin to move. To track these bills yourself visit the West Virginia Legislative website Bill Status page.

BREAKING NEWS!

Governor Manchin’s proposed budget for FY11 calls for a cut of over 11.5% from the tobacco prevention and education program.

The proposed cut to this program would be $656,318.

More details to come as the Governor and Administrative officials present the budget to the Finance Committees today.

For years now, local boards of health in West Virginia have reasonably and responsibly addressed the issue of clean indoor air by establishing local regulations protecting our citizens from exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke. These regulations have been effective, implemented after examining the health facts and done when the community was prepared. While there are always a minority of vocal opponents who decry each new regulation, the vast majority of West Virginians enjoy and appreciate being able to work, shop and relax in smoke-free establishments.

Boards of health are unique. As regulatory bodies they combine use of scientific data, local administration of public health policy, inclusion of experts and citizens, and a structure that sets the board one degree apart from the political establishment. This last point is critical - decisions regarding the prevention of disease and protecting the community from serious public health threats are too important to be mired in political battles.

HB 2932, which is carryover bill from the 2009 session, would require smoking regulations by local boards of health to gain approval from county commissions, and in some cases city councils, in order to become effective. This bill is sponsored by Senators Delegates Tim Manchin, Linda Longstreth and Mike Caputo.

The proposed legislation has been referred to the Political Subdivisions Committee and then to the Judiciary Committee.

This bill will politicize every proposed change in local clean indoor air regulations across the state and would severely undermine the foundation of public health policy in West Virginia. Let your legislators know that HB2932 is just as bad idea this year as it was last year.

For contact information on your House of Delegates members visit the West Virginia Legislature website here.

The following tobacco-related bills were introduced today, Wednesday, January 13th, in the West Virginia Legislature:

SB 24 - Forbidding tobacco products’ sale in pharmacies

SB 55 - Granting municipal courts jurisdiction over juveniles violating tobacco use laws

SB 56 - Increasing penalties for underage use or possession of tobacco

HB 2681 - Eliminating the food tax, increasing the tax on nonintoxicating beer, increasing the cigarette tax, increasing the noncigarette tobacco products tax..etc..

HB 2746 - Raising the excise tax on cigarettes and all other tobacco products

HB 2773 - Increasing the monetary penalties for selling tobacco products to minors

HB 2808 - Providing a procedure for removal of county, district or municipal officers

HB 2855 - Permitting the holder of a license to sell nonintoxicating liquors to determine the use or nonuse of tobacco products on the licensees’ premises

HB 2932 - Requiring the approval of board of health rules relating to tobacco use in public or private places

HB 3078 - Reduced Cigarette Ignition Propensity Standard and Fire Prevention Act

All House legislation on this list are carryover bills from the 2009 session. HB 3078, while introduced today, was actually passed in 2009 as a Senate bill.

Bills are listed here for informational purposes only and no endorsement is to be implied. Clear the Air will review bills more in depth as they begin to move. To track these bills yourself visit the West Virginia Legislative website Bill Status page.

Tags: 2009 Session, bills introduced, clean indoor air, tobacco control, tobacco excise tax, West Virigina Legislature

Source: Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids

Studies, and experience in state after state, show that higher cigarette taxes are one of the most effective ways to reduce smoking among both youth and adults. Every 10 percent increase in the price of cigarettes reduces youth smoking by about seven percent and overall cigarette consumption by about four percent.

Every state that has significantly increased its cigarette tax has enjoyed substantial increases in revenue, even while reducing smoking. These funds have helped states balance budgets and fund essential services like health care and tobacco prevention programs. Contrary to tobacco industry arguments, cigarette tax increases are a reliable source of revenue. Higher cigarette taxes also save money by reducing smoking-caused health care costs.

The Cabell-Huntington Health Department comment period for the proposed clean indoor air regulation closes on Friday, January 15th.

The proposed regulation can be reviewed here.

Comments can be submitted to:

Cabell-Huntington Board of Health
703 7th Avenue
Huntington, WV 25701

Tobacco-Free Day at the Legislature - January 19th
Annual Tobacco Control Advocacy Conference - January 19th - 20th

Education and action for citizens, activists and health professionals.

Presented by:
Coalition for a Tobacco-Free West Virginia and the
West Virginia Department of Health & Human Resources, Department of Health, Division of Tobacco Prevention

Join citizens and activists from throughout West Virginia to plan, work and advocate for strong tobacco control policies.

Register online here: http://www.ctfwv.com/ctfwv_004.htm