I will be watching the North Dakota Legislature closely this session to make sure they address an important proposal: raising the tobacco tax by at least $1 per pack of cigarettes and an equivalent amount for other tobacco products including e-cigarettes.
I recently attended the North Dakota Tobacco Free Day at the Capitol, where we learned tobacco tax increases are the most effective at reducing tobacco use when they make noticeable change in the price people pay. Research also shows that regular, significant tobacco tax increases reduce the number of people who start using tobacco and increase the numbers who quit.
As someone who has worked with cardiac and pulmonary patients for many years, I've seen the damage that cigarettes cause to your health. I ask our Legislature to consider what North Dakota could save in future health care costs if we kept thousands of kids safe from these products. Think prevention, and not putting out fires later with health care!
