Idaho Legislature can save lives by raising cigarette tax by $1.50 per pack

In this season of New Year’s resolutions, many Idahoans will resolve to put down tobacco products for good. But as anyone who has tried to quit will tell you, it is not easy. Nearly 70% of people who smoke want to quit, but they need the resources and support to successfully quit their addiction.

People who smoke or used to smoke are at increased risk for serious complications from COVID-19. As we battle this pandemic, we must do everything to keep our communities healthy and safe — which means supporting a strong public health infrastructure that includes comprehensive tobacco control measures. For some people, this crisis might provide motivation to quit using tobacco. But for others, trying to quit during a stressful time might be even harder and we should do everything we can to help them.

Significant and regular increases on the price of tobacco have long been recognized as an effective part of a comprehensive approach to reducing tobacco use and saving lives. That’s why the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, the advocacy affiliate of the American Cancer Society, urges Idaho lawmakers to pass a $1.50 per pack cigarette tax increase with a comparable tax on all other tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, to parallel the new cigarette tax rate.

Each year, 1,800 Idaho adults die from smoking, and smoking also causes over 23% of the state’s cancer deaths. Unless we act now, 30,000 kids living in Idaho today will die prematurely from a smoking-related illness. This effort to reduce tobacco use comes at a critical time as youth tobacco use has skyrocketed and teen use of e-cigarettes has reached epidemic levels. About 22% of Idaho high schoolers use e-cigarettes. Research shows that teens who use e-cigarettes are more likely to start smoking cigarettes. Idaho needs to tax these products to discourage young people from using them.

The public health benefits of a tobacco tax increase are significant. Projections from ACS CAN, the Campaign for Tobacco-free Kids and Tobacconomics show that raising the state’s cigarette tax by $1.50 per pack could save around 3,700 lives. It’s also estimated to help nearly 8,300 Idaho adults quit smoking and prevent approximately 5,400 kids from becoming smokers.

Tobacco use also places a huge financial burden on the state. The annual health care costs from smoking in Idaho are roughly $508 million. We all pay the costs, as the average Idaho household pays $702 in taxes to cover these health care costs, even if they do not smoke. A $1.50 per pack cigarette tax increase is projected to raise over $50 million in new annual revenue, while saving the state roughly $292 million in long-term health care costs. It is also estimated to save the state over $2 million in Medicaid costs during the first five years.

Idaho has one of the lowest cigarette taxes in the country at just 57 cents per pack, and the state doesn’t tax e-cigarettes. Every single one of our neighboring states has a higher cigarette tax. This tobacco tax increase will motivate thousands of Idahoans to quit these addictive products.

This year, I urge the Legislature to make a resolution of their own: To help save lives and protect kids by supporting a $1.50 per pack cigarette tax increase and taxing all other tobacco products including e-cigarettes in the upcoming legislative session.