Howdy, Y'all!
Being an extra long holiday weekend, I thought I would step back from the legislative process and share some information with you that will increase your knowledge on the issue of TOBACCO. Here goes...
IN THE US:
- There are 46 million adults who smoke in the US. 3.5 million US High School students.
- Over 50,000 people in America die every year from secondhand smoke.
- There are over 400,000 smoking related deaths in America every year.
- Every Year, secondhand smoke is estimated to cause:
- 2,000 deaths due to SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome)
- 8,000 new cases of asthma in youth
- 1 million cases of exacerbated asthma
- Annual smoking-caused Medicaid spending in the US: $30.9 Billion
- (remember: EVERYONE pays for Medicaid. Tobacco user and non-tobacco user)
- Smoking-caused productivity losses in the US: $97 Billion
- By raising the national tobacco tax $1:
- 2,337,300 youth would never start smoking
- 1,256,600 adults would quit smoking
- lives saved from pre-mature smoking-caused death: 1,078,500
IN UTAH:
- 173,500 Adults who smoke in Utah. 13,400 US High School students.
- 1,100 deaths in Utah caused by smoking.
- 170 Adult nonsmokers who die each year from exposure to secondhand smoke.
- Annual smoking-caused state Medicaid spending: $104 million.
- Smoking-caused productivity costs in Utah: $294 million.
- Every household pays roughly $527 in taxes due to smoking-caused expenditures.
- By raising Utah's tobacco tax $1:
- 10,500 kids would never start smoking.
- 5,500 adults would quit.
- lives saved: 4,800
QUOTES:
- "A high cigarette price, more than any other cigarette attribute, has the most dramatic impact on the share of the quitting population... Price, not tar level, is the main driving force for quitting." - Philip Morris International, 1993
- "We did not look at the underage market even though I am holding a document in my hand that says we did." - James Morgan, Former President & CEO of Philip Morris
- "There is little doubt that if it were not for the nicotine in tobacco smoke, people would be little more inclined to smoke than they are to blow bubbles or to light sparklers." - M.A.H. Russell, "The Smoking Habit and Its Classification."
- "[T]he base of our business are the high school students." - Lorillard Tobacco
- "They got lips? We want them." - RJ Reynolds Rep when asked their target audience.
- "We don't smoke it, we just sell it. We reserve that right for the young, the black, the poor, and the stupid." - David Goerlitz, former Winston Man, quoting tobacco executive.
- "Cigarettes are no more addictive than gummy bears." - James Morgan, CEO Philip Morris, '97
- "Cherry Skoal is for somebody who likes the taste of candy, if you know what I'm saying." - US Tobacco
- "We really need something for people to die of." - British American Tobacco, 1978
- "If our company is to survive and prosper, over the long term we must get our share of the youth market." - RJR, 1973
