73% of Idaho Voters Favor $1.50 Tobacco Tax Increase to Cut State's Budget Deficit, Fund Health Care

Tobacco Tax would bring in $ 52.3 million in new revenue, reduce youth smoking

Faced with a growing budget deficit, a new poll released today shows that 73 percent of Idaho voters support raising the tobacco tax by $1.50 per pack to address the state’s Medicaid shortfall and fund programs to help current smokers quit.

“Now is the time for legislators to listen to the 73 percent of Idaho voters who want to raise the tobacco tax instead of cutting critical programs. These results show that, voters across Idaho understand raising the tobacco tax is a smart way to protect Medicaid funding and support programs that help smokers quit,” said Heidi Low, Idaho Director of Government Relations, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network.

The survey of 500 registered Idaho voters was conducted on behalf of a coalition of public health groups, including the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, American Heart Association, American Lung Association in Idaho, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Idaho voters strongly prefer the tobacco tax over other options for addressing the state's budget woes. Out of nine proposals tested, the tobacco tax is one of only two that is favored by a majority of voters to help address the budget shortfall. While more than seven out of ten support increasing the tobacco tax for this purpose, a majority opposed other options such as increasing state sales and income taxes, and reducing funding for health care, highway construction, or education.

“Support for increasing the tobacco tax comes from a broad-based coalition of voters, including Republicans, Democrats, independents and voters from every part of the state,” said pollster Bob Moore of Moore Information, the firm conducting the survey.

The survey also found among Idaho voters:

83 percent believe it is important that revenue brought in by the tax be used to prevent cuts to Medicaid and fund programs that prevent smoking or help current smokers quit.
84 percent support taxing all tobacco products at the same rate as cigarettes

Data from Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids shows a $1.50 increase in Idaho’s tobacco tax would raise $52.3 million in new annual revenue. The tax increase would also prevent 15,000 Idaho kids from smoking, encourage 9,300 adult smokers to quit, and save $350 million in long-term tobacco-related health care costs.

Idaho’s current cigarette tax is 57 cents per pack, which ranks 42nd in the nation and is well below the national average of $1.45 per pack.

The survey was conducted by the polling firm Moore Information. The statewide poll has a random sample of 500 registered Idaho voters and was conducted October 17 to October 18, 2010. The poll has a margin of error of +/- 4 percentage points.

For more information, go to www.howmanyreasons.org