Medical group files brief in support of cigarette fee

The Oklahoma State Medical Association filed a legal brief with the state Supreme Court on Friday expressing support for the $1.50 per pack cigarette fee passed by the Okla- homa Legislature during the closing days of the last session.

“The Oklahoma State Medical Association staunchly believes that increasing the cost of tobacco will save lives,” Dr. Kevin Taubman, president of the state medical association, said in a news release that announced the filing of the legal brief.

Tobacco industry representatives filed a lawsuit June 7 challenging the constitutionality of the cigarette fee. They contend lawmakers failed to obtain the three-fourths majority vote required for revenue raising measures and that they violated a prohibition against passing revenue raising bills during the last five days of the session.

Supporters of the cigarette fee contend there is court precedent for allowing revenue raising measures to be adopted without meeting those extra requirements if raising revenue was not the primary purpose of the bill and it has a proven public benefit.

“By increasing the price, we will help ensure that fewer Oklahoma youth will become addicted to a deadly product,” Taubman said.

The medical association cited statistics indicating that for every 10 percent increase in the price of cigarettes, cigarette use decreases 3 to 5 percent, the number of young adult smokers decreases by 3.5 percent and the number of kids smoking decreases by 6 to 7 percent.