Westfield reader supports additional cigarette taxes

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Dear Editor:

I feel a response is needed in regards to Mari Briggs’ letter to the editor on Wednesday, Feb. 3.

While it is true that The RAISE IT FOR HEALTH PARTNERS AND SUPPORTERS are again asking for funding from the cigarette tax, I disagree with Mari and DO feel it is time for actions to be taken. The cigarette tax has not been raised in 14 years.

The Alliance for a Healthier Indiana’s supporters – almost 200 leading health, business, youth and community organizations – DO support raising the cigarette tax by $2 per pack. The desire is to invest the increased revenue – $360 million in the first year alone – to improve the health of Hoosier kids, families, communities and employees.

Although Mari feels this is an unfair burden upon lower-income smokers, the ultimate goal of raising cigarette taxes is to improve public health and extend lives.

In response to Mari’s concerns:

1. The tax does not deter lower income smokers.

Low-income smokers are much more likely to quit because of tobacco tax increases than higher-income smokers.

The CDC Best Practices Users Guide: Health Equity in Tobacco Prevention Control shows that low-income smokers are very sensitive to price, so by raising cigarette prices, substantial cigarette tax increases would prompt these smokers to quit or cutback and stop kids from ever starting.

2. Cigarette smoking would be their only source of relaxation.

Cigarettes actually wire your body more.

Within seconds of inhaling, nicotine alerts your body to release adrenaline that increases your heart rate and blood pressure. Your liver actually releases sugar to get ready for activity.

Neurotransmitters are also released that warn your body that it is being exposed to stress. All these events make your body more “wired” NOT relaxed. The relief smokers feel is not relief from stress. It’s the relief from having a nicotine withdrawal between smokes.

A few facts I would like to note:

• If smokers were completely unresponsive to price changes, tobacco taxes would not be helpful, but increasing the tobacco tax by $2 per pack is proven to reduce smoking rates. Reducing our smoking rate is key to saving Hoosier lives and the Indiana economy.
• Smoking kills more Hoosiers than alcohol, AIDS, car crashes, illegal drugs, murders, and suicide combined. A tobacco tax increase is proven to help people quit smoking. It will save Hoosier lives.
• The increase in the tobacco tax is estimated to generate over $300 million in revenue to help Indiana address improving public health and other critical needs. In addition to the revenue, it will save the Indiana economy billions in healthcare and productivity costs.

I do support a tax on cigarettes.

I am proud to be a supporter of the Raise It for Health campaign and a member of the Tobacco Free Hamilton County Alliance.

Let’s Raise It for Health.

Margaret Meyer MSN, RN

Westfield