Washington State approves cigarette tax increase
April 14th, 2010 - 1:47 am ICT by BNO NewsOLYMPIA, WASHINGTON (BNO NEWS) – Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids announced Tuesday that Governor Christine Gregoire and the Washington Legislature approved an increase in the state cigarette tax.
The significant tax jump from $2.025 to $3.025 per pack is expecting to reduce tobacco use, save lives, and help balance the state budget and fund essential programs.
According to studies, every 10 percent increase in the price of cigarettes reduces youth smoking by about 6.5 percent and overall cigarette consumption by about 4 percent. According to those statistics, Washington is expecting the $1 cigarette tax increase to prevent 38,400 Washington kids from becoming smokers, impulse 19,200 smokers to quit, save more than 17,300 Washington residents from smoking-caused deaths, lock in $854 million in future health care savings, and raise about $80.7 million a year in new state revenue.
Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of death and disease in Washington, claiming 7,600 lives each year and costing the state $1.95 billion annually in health care bills. While Washington has made significant progress in reducing youth smoking, 14.4 percent of Washington high school students smoke, and 27,000 kids try cigarettes for the first time each year.
After the tax increase, the average state cigarette tax will be $1.40 per pack. Washington is the third state to increase its cigarette tax this year, as Utah and New Mexico raised their cigarette tax by $1 and $0.75, respectively.
- Brazil bans smoking in public spaces - Dec 16, 2011
- China may raise tobacco price to curb consumption - Mar 12, 2012
- China to curb smoking with increased taxes - Mar 10, 2012
- No smoking: Gory pictures pull in, shock trade fair visitors - Nov 18, 2010
- Cigarette smoking may increase risk of muscle-wasting disease - Feb 15, 2011
- Scary pictures not to dissuade Russian smokers: Poll - May 13, 2012
- Cigarettes, bidis costlier in Himchal - Apr 01, 2011
- Giving up menthol ciggies may be harder for some smokers - Dec 21, 2010
- Lawmakers get tough on smoking - Jan 14, 2012
- Taxing beedis best way to curb tobacco abuse, says study - Apr 08, 2010
- Russia to ban hookah smoking in public - Nov 10, 2011
- NGO demands ban on sale of single cigarettes - Mar 04, 2011
- Like India, Russia to scare smokers with grim pictures - May 11, 2012
- Like your morning cigarette? You're at greater risk! - Aug 08, 2011
- Prevalence of heavy smokers decreases in US - Mar 16, 2011
Tags: bno, campaign for tobacco free kids, christine gregoire, cigarette consumption, cigarette tax increase, death and disease, future health care, governor christine gregoire, health care bills, health care savings, high school students, leading preventable cause, lives each year, olympia washington, price of cigarettes, state cigarette, tobacco free kids, tobacco use, washington legislature, washington residents