Editor:
As the Gazette opinion page made clear in its recent editorial, the 65-cent-per-pack tax increase on tobacco products passed in West Virginia’s last legislative special session was only an initial step in addressing the state’s serious public health issues. While the increase passed helped address our budget crisis, it wasn’t nearly high enough to significantly impact the fact we have the highest smoking rate in the country. That means our health care costs will continue to rise and we will experience higher rates of preventable diseases like cancer and heart disease.
Despite the latest increase, our state’s tobacco tax is still well below the national average, and that just doesn’t make public health sense. Tobacco may rule the lives of those who are addicted to the product, but it shouldn’t rule the decisions made in Charleston.
If we want to discourage our youth from becoming addicted to this deadly product, we have to make the product much less affordable. Let’s take the next step during the coming legislative session and increase the price of tobacco products by at least another dollar per pack.
Annette Fetty-Santilli
State Lead Ambassador, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
Philippi
Resource: http://www.wvgazettemail.com/gazette-letters-to-the-editor/20161018/letter-tobacco-tax-hike-not-enough-raise-it-another-dollar-gazette
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