Editor, Times-Union: Indiana has one of the highest smoking rates in the country at 23 percent, and cheap tobacco makes it even easier to smoke in our state. Its $0.995-per-pack cigarette tax has not been increased in nine years and ranks far below the national average of $1.61 per pack. Because tobacco is so affordable and accessible, more than 5,700 Hoosier youth become daily smokers each year. Increasing the price of tobacco should be a no-brainer. Four out of five smokers become addicted as kids, partially due to the accessibility and affordability of tobacco. Some tobacco products, like cigars and cigarillos, are even cheaper than a can of soda. Lawmakers have the opportunity to raise the price of cigarettes by one dollar per pack, which would lead to a 12 percent decrease in youth smoking and prevent 20,400 premature deaths. Indiana would also generate $239 million in new revenue to fund Medicaid. Contact Senators Carlin Yoder at 317-232-9984, s12@iga.in.gov; Ryan Mishler at 317-233-0931, senator.mishler@iga.in.gov; and Randy Head at 317-232-9488, senator.head@iga.in.gov to let them know you support the cigarette tax increase and that he needs to vote in favor of the increase. Dan Gray Warsaw, via email
