Tobacco Tax
Increasing Cigarette and Tobacco Product Taxes
The American Lung Association strongly supports efforts in states and local communities to increase taxes on cigarettes and tobacco products. Increased cigarette taxes are a proven way to reduce smoking especially among youth. Every 10 percent increase in the price of cigarettes reduces consumption by about 4 percent among adults and about 7 percent among youth.1
The revenue from cigarette tax increases can and should be used to fund state tobacco control programs.
The Lung Association has had great success in 2010. Six states have increased their cigarettes taxes. The average state cigarette tax is now $1.45 per pack, up 11 cents since the beginning of 2010.
- Click here for more information on tobacco taxes
- See how your state measures up in our State of Tobacco Control report
1. Tauras JA, O’Malley PM, Johnston LD, “Effects of Price and Access Laws on Teenage Smoking Initiation: A National Longitudinal Analysis,” Bridging the Gap Research, ImpacTeen, April 2001. Available at: http://www.impacteen.org/generalarea_PDFs/AccessLaws.pdf
