For Immediate Release: August
5, 2005
Sen. Tom Adelson
Joe Camel Running Out of Smoke
Stats Show Cigarette Hike Already Saving Lives
Senator Tom
Adelson said statistics released by the Oklahoma State Department
of Health Friday show that the increase in the tobacco tax is
“Oklahoma’s most significant public health legislation
in a generation.”
OSDH reported that tobacco sales in Oklahoma have declined by
4.4 million packs per month and that 30,000 adult Oklahomans had
given up smoking since the tax increase took effect.
“By tripling the tobacco tax Oklahomans are going save at
least a half a billion dollars in healthcare costs,” Adelson
said. “And more importantly, it will make Oklahoma a healthier
state.”
The Tulsa Democrat is chairman of the Senate Appropriations Sub-Committee
on Health and Human Services and served as Governor Henry’s
Secretary of Health before running for the Senate.
“Today’s news shows that the increase in the tobacco
tax is already saving lives,” Adelson said. “Each
person who chooses not to smoke will add an average of 14 years
to their life.”
OSDH said percentage of adults who smoke in Oklahoma decreased
from 26.1 percent to 24.4 percent in the first six months of 2005.
“Oklahoma no longer has the second highest rate of adult
smokers in the nation,” Adelson said.
The Senator said that while much of the discussion about the tobacco
tax has centered on alleged disparities between the tax paid by
some tribal and non-tribal retailers, a more important point should
not go unnoticed.
“The increase in the tobacco tax is hardly a disaster, as
some have suggested. It is absolutely achieving its most important
purpose – fewer Oklahomans are smoking,” Adelson said.
“Senate Democrats will continue to try and come up with
a solution that will level the playing field between tribal and
non-tribal retailers but what we won’t do is anything that
will slow the decline of smokers in our state.”
Adelson said the Center for Disease Control is expected to release
youth smoking statistics in the fall, and he expects a similar
decline in teenage smoking.
For more information contact:
Senator Adelson's Office- (405) 521-5551
