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Tobacco Control: Increase Georgia’s Tobacco Tax

Increase Georgia's Tobacco Tax to save lives

Goal: Reduce youth and adult smoking rates to help decrease lung cancer incidence and mortality rates across Georgia

Where does Georgia rank?

·        Our current state cigarette tax ranks 48th lowest among all states

What are the costs of smoking in Georgia?

·        $3.18 billion spent on health-care expenditures directly related to tobacco use

·        $537 million spent by Medicaid each year for smoking-related illnesses

What are the health benefits of an increased Tobacco Tax?

·        15.2% decrease in youth smoking

·        76,100 kids who would not become adult smokers

·        Over 36,900 Georgians saved from premature smoking-cause deaths

·        Over 66,700 current adult smokers would quit

What are the financial benefits of an increased Tobacco Tax?

·        $3.01 billion in long-term healthcare cost savings from reduced smoking rates

·        $585 million in new revenues to pay for smoking-related illnesses

·        $12.37 million saved from fewer smoking-caused lung cancer cases over 5 years

·        $28.81 million saved from fewer smoking-caused heart attacks and strokes over 5 years

·        9,300 fewer smoking-affected pregnancies over 5 years