American Cancer Society says higher taxes reduce tobacco use
PORTLAND, Oregon. (KTVZ) – From Friday, January 1, the Oregon cigarette tax will increase by $ 2 a pack and electronic cigarettes will be taxed for the first time in Oregon, after voters passed Measure 108 in the month past, supporters said Monday.
The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) was one of the leading health organizations working as part of the Yes in 108 campaign to approve Measure 108, which won approval from 2 to 1 voters.
Oregon’s cigarette tax will now be $ 3.33 per pack, the sixth highest in the country and the highest on the West Coast.
“It has been proven that the significant increase in the price of all tobacco products reduces use, and this new tax on cigarettes is expected to save nearly 12,000 lives in Oregon and prevent nearly 19,000 children and young adults from starting to smoke,” said the organization. fight against cancer in its press release, which continues in full below:
“This is the most significant cigarette tax increase in Oregon’s history, which will reduce smoking rates. And finally, by taxing electronic cigarettes, we can combat the epidemic of e-cigarette use by young people and take an important step to protect young people from being targeted by the tobacco industry for a lifetime addiction, ”said Jamie Dunphy, director Oregon government relations for ACS CAN. “This is a huge victory for everyone, because we know that smoking is still the leading cause of preventable deaths.”
ACS CAN encourages Oregon residents who wish to quit smoking to contact the state’s Tobacco Stop Line at 1-800-QUIT-NOW or online at quitnow.net/Oregon. En Espanol at 1-800-1-855-DEJELO-YA or quitnow.net/Oregonsp.
In addition to saving lives, raising the cigarette tax is expected to raise about $ 135 million in annual revenue, according to projections by ACS CAN, the Campaign for Tobacco Free Children and Tobacco Shops.
The new prescription will provide access to health care in the Oregon Health Plan at a time when health coverage is critical and will fund state tobacco prevention and cessation programs to help people successfully quit smoking. Oregon’s tobacco control program is funded at just 25.6% of the level recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, ACS CAN said.
“This new tobacco tax is a triple victory: it will save lives, finance health programs that save lives and reduce health costs for everyone,” continued Dunphy. Smoking currently costs the state $ 1.54 billion in annual health care costs, including $ 347.6 million in Medicaid costs. Each family in Oregon pays $ 736 in taxes to offset these smoking-related costs.
The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) is making cancer a priority for public officials and candidates at the federal, state and local levels. ACS CAN empowers advocates across the country to make their voices heard and to influence evidence-based public policy changes, as well as legislative and regulatory solutions that will reduce the cancer burden.
As a non-profit, non-partisan affiliate of the American Cancer Society, ACS CAN is instrumental in the struggle for a world without cancer. For more information, visit www.fightcancer.org.