Share

President's Budget Calls for Increase in National Tobacco Tax

April 24, 2013

In what could be a double win for children, President Obama proposed increasing the national tax on cigarettes and other tobacco products to fund a pre-k program for children. The President's 2014 budget proposal would increase the national tax on cigarettes to $1.95 per pack, an increase of 94 cents. It also increases the tax on cigars, smokeless tobacco and other tobacco products. Scientific studies have proven that a significant price increase is one of the most effective ways to prevent children from starting to smoke. A 10 percent increase in the cost of a pack of cigarettes leads to a seven percent decline in smoking rates for children and a four percent decline in overall cigarette consumption. In addition, most analyses indicate that nearly 90 percent of adult smokers begin smoking before they turn age 18. So, if we can prevent people from becoming addicted while they're young, it's highly likely they'll never start smoking at all. ACS CAN and our volunteers are no strangers to campaigns to increase cigarette taxes. Since 2002, we have succeeded in increasing tobacco taxes in 47 states, and increasing the federal cigarette tax by 61 cents. But, convincing Congress to increase the national tobacco tax won't be easy.