News

September 16, 2002
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Carol Carrithers, Vice President
Marketing and Communications
Seven Counties Services, Inc.
101 W. Muhammad Ali Blvd.
Louisville, KY 40202
502-589-8600

Letter to the Editor sent to the Courier-Journal and rural papers in the region
When the right thing is the hard thing to do.

Letter to the editor

Improving the health status of Kentuckians…
Increasing state revenues to be used for worthwhile and much-needed programs and projects…
Reducing the number of Kentuckians who become addicted to cigarettes or tobacco in their teens

It seems there would be overwhelming support for something that could produce these kinds of benefits, and in fact, there is support for such action. In The Courier-Journal Bluegrass Poll results released earlier this month, two-thirds of Kentuckians polled supported taxing tobacco products other than cigarettes. In addition, in a poll conducted last year by a Washington D.C.-based independent public opinion research firm, 58% of registered voters polled in Kentucky supported a 75¢ tax per cigarette pack. Support increased up to 68% if revenues from it would go toward funding things such as Medicaid budget increases; prescription drug coverage for seniors; health insurance for the working poor; early childhood development programs; tobacco prevention programs among youth; mental illness and substance abuse treatment programs; public education; and agriculture and farm programs.

In explaining why he did not support an increase in cigarette taxes, one person quoted in the in The Courier-Journal’s article about the recent Bluegrass Poll said he did so out of pity for addicted smokers. “I don’t smoke, but I just don’t think it’s right to keep putting taxes on those folks who are hooked on smoking,” he said.

An increase in tobacco product taxes is not to punish smokers. Research in other states that have raised taxes on cigarettes and tobacco products shows that a tax increase reduces the incidence of smoking, helping to prevent smoking-related deaths and disease. A long and healthy life shared with family and friends hardly is seen by most as punishment!

Research also shows that raising cigarette and tobacco product taxes unequivocally is the most effective method to prevent youth from starting to smoke. Unfortunately, Kentucky has some of the highest youth smoking rates in the nation, with more than double the percentage of middle school smokers (21.5%) than the national average (9.2%).

We hope Kentuckians, including our policy makers, will ask themselves if they really want to improve health and reduce the cost of healthcare; if they really want a way to increase state revenues for much needed projects; and if they really want to do something for kids. If they answer “yes,” then they can join in pursuing a vision of…healthy communities free of alcohol, tobacco and other drug abuse and related consequences, and support increasing tobacco product taxes. Increasing tobacco product taxes may be a hard thing to do…but it is the RIGHT thing to do.

Amy Silvert, Region 6 Local KY-ASAP Board staff
Region 6 (Jefferson, Oldham, Bullitt, Henry, Spencer, Trimble, and Trimble counties)
KY-ASAP (Kentucky Agency for Substance Abuse Policy)