Clear the Air

On Tuesday, June 10th, The Coalition for a Tobacco-Free West Virginia and the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids released the findings of a public opinion poll showing the broad support by West Virginia voters for increasing the tobacco tax by $1.00.

Here is video from the press conference featuring Hersha Arnold-Brown of the American Cancer Society, Chuck Hamsher of the American Heart Association, Pete Fisher from the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids and Nathan Henry from the Mellman Group who conducted the poll.

For more information, including details of this poll, visit the Coalition for a Tobacco-Free West Virginia website.

A new poll released today shows that 63 percent of West Virginia voters support raising the tobacco tax by $1 per pack to help address budget shortfalls and reduce youth smoking .

This support comes from a broad spectrum of voters, including 61 percent of Republicans, 65 percent of Democrats, and 62 percent of Independents. In addition, voters from around the state and across every demographic group strongly support the tobacco tax increase.

“Now is the time for legislators to listen to the large majority of West Virginia voters who want to raise the tobacco tax instead of cutting critical programs. These results show that, regardless of party, voters across West Virginia understand raising the tobacco tax is a smart way to address budget shortfalls and debt while protecting our kids from tobacco,” said Chuck Hamsher of the American Heart Association. “Raising the tobacco tax is a win, win for West Virginia.”

The survey of 500 registered West Virginia voters was released by the Coalition for a Tobacco Free West Virginia, which includes the American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, American Lung Association, and the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.

West Virginia voters also express a preference for candidates who support the tobacco tax. By a margin of 55 percent to 33 percent, voters opt for a candidate who supports the tax over one who opposes it. The preference for candidates who support the tobacco tax holds for Democrats, independents, and Republicans.

“Clearly, West Virginia voters view the tobacco tax as different than other taxes,” commented Mark Mellman whose firm conducted the poll. “Far from punishing policy-makers who support the tobacco tax, they are more likely to reward them.”

West Virginia voters strongly prefer the tobacco tax over other options for addressing the state’s budget woes. When presented with a list of options for closing the budget gap 58% percent support increasing the tobacco tax for this purpose, while a majority opposed other options such as increasing state sales, income, or gasoline taxes, and reducing funding for health care, education, or nursing home care. Increasing the alcohol tax was the only other proposal to garner majority support.

A recent report by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and other public health organizations found that a $1 increase in West Virginia’s tobacco tax would raise $117 million in new annual revenue for the state, despite the declines in smoking it would help bring about. The tax increase would also prevent 19,100 West Virginia kids from smoking, save 9,500 state residents from premature, smoking-caused deaths and save $458 million in tobacco-related health care costs (for more information, go to www.tobaccofreekids.org/winwinwin). These health benefits would be even greater if some portion of the tax is used to fund tobacco prevention and cessation programs, which are underfunded in West Virginia. Three-fourths of voters in the poll support funding prevention efforts at the level recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

West Virginia’s current cigarette tax is 55 cents per pack, which ranks 44th in the nation and is well below the national average of $1.44 per pack.

The survey was conducted by the polling firm The Mellman Group. The statewide poll has a random sample of 500 registered West Virginia voters and was conducted May 8 to May 11, 2010. The poll has a margin of error of +/- 4.4 percentage points.

The budget proposed by Governor Manchin and currently under consideration by the West Virginia Legislature would reduce tobacco prevention and education funding by $656,318 or a whopping 11.5%!

A cut of this magnitude can only result in a reduction of tobacco prevention programming in the state. While these are indeed tough budget times, it makes no sense to cut a program that is saving lives and healthcare dollars. Currently West Virginians pay $690 million annually in health care costs directly caused by smoking. That is a severe burden on the state’s economy, which will only get worse if the state cuts funding for programs proven to prevent kids from smoking and help smokers quit.

Even before this latest proposal, West Virginia was falling short in funding tobacco prevention and cessation programs. West Virginia this year is spending $6.9 million on these programs – $5.7 million in state funds and a $1.2 million federal grant. This total is less than a quarter of the $27.8 million recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Governor Manchin has proposed cutting funding by $656,318.

These resources are critical to reducing tobacco’s devastating toll in West Virginia. West Virginia currently has the highest adult smoking rate in the nation at 26.6 percent. In addition, 27.6 percent of high school students smoke, and 2,400 more kids become regular smokers every year. Each year, tobacco use claims 3,800 lives in West Virginia.

This cut is currently under consideration of the House and Senate Finance Committees and they need to hear from tobacco control advocates loud and clear that these cuts are short-sighted and will only serve to weaken West Virginia’s already insufficient tobacco prevention efforts.

Contact your members on the House Finance Committee and Senate Finance Committee right away and urge them to OPPOSE any budget cut to tobacco prevention and education programs.

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.

Tags: FDA, Federal policies, tobacco