Shawn O'Neal
Senior Regional Media Advocacy Manager
ACS CAN Advocates Ask for Washington's First Cigarette Tax Increase in 16 Years
Reduction in Tobacco Use is Healthy for Communities, Good for Budget
January 30, 2026
OLYMPIA, Wash. –– Volunteer advocates of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) will be on hand to support House Bill 2382 on Friday as the House Finance Committee considers legislation that includes the state’s first tax increase on cigarettes in 16 years.
Increasing the cigarette tax by at least $2.00 per pack and investing in fact-based tobacco control programs -- education, prevention and cessation – are some of the most effective ways to help people quit and make sure youth never start using tobacco. ACS CAN calls on the legislature to invest $10 million per year of the revenue from the tax increase in Washington’s Commercial Tobacco Prevention Program (CTPP) to prevent kids from starting to use tobacco and help those already addicted to quit.
“It’s well past time for this increase for any number of reasons, but most important is that tobacco use continues to be the leading cause of preventable death and disease in Washington,” ACS CAN Washington Government Relation Director Audrey Miller Garcia said.
A $2.00 per pack increase in Washington’s cigarette tax would prevent 5,700 kids from becoming adults who smoke, help 20,900 adults who smoke quit, and save 6,800 lives. Additionally, this cigarette tax increase would save Washington $350.7 million in long term health care costs and generate $56.86 million in new annual revenue.
One of the best things states can do to improve public health, generate revenue and provide funding for critical unmet needs is to significantly increase tobacco taxes and invest in tobacco control programs.
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