EDITORIAL: State Senate slips on raising cigarette taxes

Apr. 16—Earlier this month, the Republican-dominated Indiana Senate removed any proposed increase on state taxes on cigarettes from the House budget, which was a missed opportunity for multiple benefits for the Hoosier state.

A tax increase would drive state revenue up while driving the smoking rate down.

Indiana's smoking rate is 21.1%, which, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, placed this state fourth in the nation in 2018.

No doubt some will continue to smoke, and a 50-cent per pack increase was estimated to increase state revenue by about $150 million.

The state chamber estimates that smoking costs Indiana employers about $6.2 billion in health care costs, absenteeism and lost productivity.

The tax increase would lead to a healthier economy and a healthier population by not only reducing the number of smokers but also by decreasing the amount of secondhand smoke in the air.

It is worth noting that a proposed tax increase on vaping and electronic cigarette products failed in the 2019 legislative session. While vape products have been marketed as a safer alternative to cigarettes, many experts dispute this claim.

The state would be better served by efforts to drive down the rate of Hoosiers addicted to nicotine altogether, regardless of the method of delivery.

Reducing the number of smokers would be good for the individuals and good for the state's economy.

The smoking addiction continues to be an overall drain on the economy and on the health and well-being of Hoosiers, and our leaders should do all they can to prevent and reduce the number of smokers.