Louisiana receives a failing grade on the American Lung Association’s Tobacco Control Report Card. One of the biggest reasons, Louisiana’s below average cigarette tax that sits at 1.08 cents a pack. Director of Advocacy Ashley Lyerly says if Louisiana were to double that per pack tax, the state would see a notable drop in the number of smokers.
“It does increase the likelihood of adults smoking, and we have a greater impact on preventing kids from starting to use tobacco.”
The average national cigarette tax is 1.79 per pack of 20.
Lyerly says the state is doing a poor job properly funding programs that help residents quit, or keep them from starting in the first place, evidenced by how much the state would need to spend to meet a CDC recommended level of funding for tobacco prevention initiatives.
“For Louisiana that would be at about 59 million dollars. Louisiana currently spends only about 27 percent of that recommended level.”
The report notes 23 percent of Louisianans smoke, a habit that comes with a 1.89 billion dollar price tag, and over seven thousand deaths a year for the state.
Finally, the ALA calls for all states to adopt a minimum purchase age for tobacco products of 21-years-old, the same age as alcohol. Lyerly says if you can keep people from smoking in their youth, they are far less likely to become smokers as adults.
“Obviously by increasing the age and purchase age of tobacco products, we would see a reduction in not only youth starting to smoke, but also the adults.”
The CDC says 12 percent of high schoolers, and four percent of middle schoolers smoke cigarettes in Louisiana.