Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Youth wants to see more done to keep kids away from tobacco

Great New Letter from advocate Colleen Daly in the Asheville Citizen Times!

As someone who has seen the repercussions of tobacco use on both our youth and economy, I believe that raising the cigarette tax is clearly a win/win situation.

North Carolina is in desperate need of funds. Raising the tax prevents kids from starting to smoke and provides incentives for adults to quit while providing greater revenue for beneficial programs under the state's jurisdiction.

North Carolina has the fourth-lowest cigarette tax in the United States. According to the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, a dollar increase in taxes will generate up to $329 million in the first year and significantly reduce expenditures within the health care system. Within five years, $2.1 billion could be saved from health care expenditures related to preventable illnesses and deaths caused by tobacco products.

Although it is illegal, minors are targeted every day by the tobacco industry. By raising the cigarette tax we can reduce teen smoking by 17 percent and saves thousands of lives in North Carolina. As a young person, I see many of my peers fall victim to big tobacco. I hope that my legislators will work to help them.

Colleen Daly, Asheville

Daly is the 2009 Southern Regional Youth Advocate of the Year for the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids.