Survey: Americans Overwhelmingly Support Tobacco Tax Increase to Expand Children’s Health Coverage

Broad Support Exists Irrespective of Party Affiliation, Gender, Race, Age, and Other Demographic Factors

Washington, D.C. – A poll recently released by The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids reveals that American voters strongly support a large per-pack increase in the federal cigarette tax to expand health coverage to America’s uninsured children.

By a more than two-and-one-half to one ratio (70 percent versus 27 percent), support exists for a 30-cent increase in per-pack cigarette taxes to pay for “health care coverage to uninsured children.” Significantly, that support is nearly identical (67-28 percent) for a 75-cent per-pack increase dedicated to the same purpose.

Support for a 75-cent tobacco tax increase to expand health coverage for children is overwhelming irrespective of party affiliation, gender, race, age, and other demographic factors. The favorable-unfavorable ratio for different groups includes:

• Democrats: 72-25 percent
  
• Republicans: 67-27 percent
  
• Independents: 61-34 percent
  
• Men: 66-30 percent
  
• Women: 68-26 percent
  
• Non-Hispanic whites: 68-27 percent
  
• Non-Hispanic blacks: 67-31 percent
  
• Hispanics: 69-29 percent
  
• Incomes under $30,000: 62-32 percent
  
• Incomes over $80,000: 69-23 percent

“This poll should send a clear message to members of Congress that voters across the board want America’s 9 million uninsured children to gain health coverage and support a tobacco tax to pay for it,” said Ron Pollack, Executive Director of Families USA, the national organization for health care consumers. “In the end, this is a ‘two-fer’ because it will improve children’s health by reducing smoking and providing needed health care.”

"This discussion has reached a tipping point and there is now widespread public acceptance of using tobacco taxes to promote kids' health," said Karen Ignagni, President and CEO of America's Health Insurance Plans. "Health plans are doing their part by offering innovative smoking cessation programs that provide behavior and pharmacological therapy for members, clinical tools for physicians, and value for employers and purchasers."

"Doctors see the benefits of this successful program to cover kids firsthand. Parents who work hard, but aren't able to afford health insurance, are able to get their children the care they need to stay healthy and strong. This is a win-win proposal: an increase in the federal tobacco tax is a key funding source for SCHIP, and it can help deter Americans from using tobacco,” said Ronald M. Davis, MD, President-elect of the American Medical Association.

"Every day in America's hospitals, we see firsthand the debilitating effects smoking has on the health of the communities we serve," said Tom Nickels, AHA's Senior Vice President for Federal Relations. "We also see the important role SCHIP plays in getting kids the health care and coverage they need to lead healthy lives. And by raising taxes on cigarettes, we keep SCHIP strong for our children, reduce smoking and save lives—a winning combination."

"Raising the federal tobacco tax is an important step toward reducing smoking rates in this country, where cigarettes kill more than 400,000 people a year," said Daniel E. Smith, president of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN). "We know that for every 10 percent increase in the price of cigarettes, we will see a 7 percent drop in youth smoking rates and a 4 percent decline in adult smoking rates. Congress should significantly boost the tobacco tax not only to help get health insurance for children, but to improve public health overall."

The Mellman Group conducted the nationwide survey of 1,000 likely voters by telephone May 29-June 3, 2007. The margin of error for the survey is plus or minus 3.1 percent.

Detailed poll data are available on the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids Web site at http://www.tobaccofreekids.org/research/factsheets/index.php?CategoryID=11.

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Families USA is the national organization for health care consumers. It is nonprofit and nonpartisan and advocates for high-quality, affordable health care for all Americans.

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