Health advocates propose $2 smoking tax increase

By Erika Lindquist

Smokers could be facing a $2-per-pack tax increase as part of a plan endorsed by the former surgeon general and other health advocates to reduce smoking by the end of this year. According to the ex-surgeon general, the tax could drive five million smokers to quit.

The increased tax will go to additional tobacco research, better doctor training and an extensive media campaign explaining the dangers of smoking.

“ In my mind, this is a good thing,” said Dr. Sherman Sowby, a health science professor at Fresno State. “The major concern here is, there are a lot of smoking-related diseases. The burden falls on the tax payers.”

Health officials have estimated that smoking costs the nation $75 billion in direct health-care expenses per year, along with 440,000 premature deaths.

“ If people want to smoke, fine, let them smoke. But let them pay for their own health costs too,” Sowby said.

Smokers now pay 39 cents in cigarette tax in California. The plan is to raise the tax to $2.39 and have 50 percent of the proceeds put toward various prevention aspects. It is estimated that $14 billion will come from the 50 percent proceeds.

California already pays more cigarette tax than most states, Sowby said. As a result, California also has a lower percentage of smokers, despite its high population.

So far, the money that has “gone into smoking prevention in the United States has really paid off--one positive thing from taxes,” Sowby said.

One possible downfall with a $2-per-pack tax is that it could promote counterfeiting and illegal sales over the internet, said Jennifer Golisch, a spokeswoman for tobacco giant Philip Morris USA Inc. Some smokers may try to find various ways to avoid the higher prices.

“ People with less education smoke more, and people with less education have less money,” Sowby said. Poor neighborhoods and individuals under the age of 18 make up a good portion of the 50 million Americans who smoke and will be affected more by the tax increase.

“ As the price on cigarettes increases, the group that is most affected is the young group. Adults who smoke only make up 24 percent of the national average,” Sowby said.