Legislation has been introduced in the West Virginia State Senate to increase West Virginia’s excise tax on tobacco with a portion of the proceeds directed to tobacco control and other health-related programs.
SB-586 was introduced by Senators Roman Prezioso, Dan Foster and Ron Stollings.
This bill calls for increasing West Virginia’s excise tax on cigarettes by $1.00 to $1.55 per pack and the tax on other tobacco products from the current level of 7% of the wholesale price to 50% of the wholesale price. The proposed legislation would also direct one-half of the tobacco tax revenues, up to $60 million, into a new fund to be known as the “West Virginia Healthy Future Fund”. $27 million from the Fund would be transferred annually for tobacco prevention and eduction programs and the balance of the Fund each year would directed to public health, substance abuse or healthcare-related programs. Revenues beyond what is placed in the Fund would go to General Revenue.
According to the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids this legislation, if enacted, would generate $152 million in total revenue and would result in a 15% reduction in youth smoking and 17,300 current adult tobacco users quitting. In addition, West Virginia would see a long-term health savings of $667.81 million from these declines.
The bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on Health and Human Resources and then to the Senate Committee on Finance.
February 15th, 2012 at 9:34 pm
Go for it.