Nebraska Revenue Committee Bill Fails to Address Tobacco Crisis
Statement from American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) Nebraska Government Relations Director Megan Word
Noe Baker
Media Advocacy
ACS CAN Applauds Basalt Voters for Approving a $2 Cigarette Tax Increase
Tobacco Tax Increase Will Save Lives, Money for Basalt
April 4, 2018
Denver, Colo. (April 3, 2018) – Basalt voters passed Ballot Question A on the April 3 ballot, which will increase the tax on cigarettes by $2 per pack and institute a local tax of 40 percent on the sales price of other tobacco products.
RJ Ours, Colorado government relations director for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) released the following statement:
"ACS CAN applauds Basalt voters for putting the health of the community over Big Tobacco profits and passing this lifesaving tobacco tax increase. Making tobacco products significantly more expensive through regular tax increases is proven to keep kids away from tobacco and help adults quit successfully. Fewer smokers means less people dying from cancer and other tobacco-related illnesses, and lower health care costs overall.
"Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death, claiming the lives of 5,100 Coloradans each year. Not to mention that smoking costs our state economy more than $3 billion in annual health care costs and lost productivity. Despite this, Colorado has one of the lowest cigarette taxes in the country at just 84 cents per pack. Cheap cigarettes are one reason why 2,200 kids in the state become new daily smokers every year.
"We are pleased that voters in Basalt sided with public health to save lives, cut health care costs and raise new revenue for the community."
Basalt is now the second community in the Roaring Fork Valley, following Aspen last fall, to approve a significant tobacco tax increase. The new tax takes effect on July 1, 2018.
ACS CAN, the nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate of the American Cancer Society, supports evidence-based policy and legislative solutions designed to eliminate cancer as a major health problem. ACS CAN works to encourage elected officials and candidates to make cancer a top national priority. ACS CAN gives ordinary people extraordinary power to fight cancer with the training and tools they need to make their voices heard. For more information, visit www.fightcancer.org.
Paid for by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network in support of Yes on Basalt Ballot Question A.
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