$1 increase in cigarette tax will save lives Remember Saint Rose’s many contributions
The American Heart Association is one of many public health groups calling on Gov. Andrew Cuomo to include an increased tax on tobacco products in his 2021 Executive Budget.
Every year, more than 22,000 deaths in New York are caused by smoking. Tobacco use remains the leading preventable cause of death and a significant contributing factor to heart disease and stroke, the nation’s No. 1 and No. 5 causes of death. Smoking accounts for about 30 percent of all cancer deaths in the nation, including about 80 percent of all lung cancer deaths.
An increase of $1 per pack of cigarettes, and tax parity on other tobacco products, could change that. According to models developed jointly by the Campaign for TobaccoFree Kids and the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, the $1 increase in the cigarette tax alone would prevent 24,400 premature smoking-caused deaths. It also means there would be $30.4 million in new annual revenue.
Youth are sensitive to cost. The projections reflect that. The cigarette tax increase would mean 29,500 youth under age 18 would be kept from becoming adult smokers. It would also mean 6,500 fewer smokers among 18to 24-year-olds. Tax parity on other tobacco products would mean even more reductions, fewer kids picking up vaping, and would ensure that more tobacco users quit instead of switching to a cheaper product.
Increasing the price of tobacco products is proven to reduce smoking. This tax would save thousands of New York’s kids from a lifetime of tobacco use and nicotine addiction. Any child that we can keep from picking up their first cigarette means another life saved.
Dr. Disha Mookherjee
The editorial on saving The College of Saint Rose is a perfect example of how the Times Union should look at the community ("Don't let Saint Rose fail," Dec. 16). The tone and purpose are similar to the push for saving the “Joe” put forth by Times Union columnist Chris Churchill in the column, "Vamos Gatos, Chuck. Vamos Gatos," Dec. 13.
Saint Rose has had a synergistic relationship with the Pine Hills neighborhood as well as the many elementary and secondary educators in the entire Capitol Region. It is not an elitist institution. It produces a needed product of diversity and first-generation educated contributors to the Albany community.
Now we need a plan that The College of Saint Rose can implement with supporters from the city, county, state and private sector.