Report: Raising Cigarette Tax Would Benefit Ohioans
Gov. Mike DeWine earlier this year proposed nearly doubling Ohio’s cigarette tax — from $1.60 a pack to $3.10. It didn’t pass the legislature, but DeWine intended to use the $319 million it was projected to generate to help fund a $1,000 tax credit for families with children under seven. A report by Columbus-based Scioto Analysis suggests that nearly doubling Ohio's cigarette tax from $1.60 a pack to $3.10 would have significantly benefited Ohioans, mostly by encouraging adults to stop smoking and preventing teenagers from starting. The report also found that the tax hike would produce $18.9 billion in social benefits over the next decades, surpassing the estimated $816 million in estimated social costs. The analysis did not include the $177 billion in estimated savings to adults who would never start smoking due to the tax. The study also highlighted the potential social cost of cigarette taxes on families of people who would continue smoking.
Published : 5 months ago by Ohio Capital Journal in
Gov. Mike DeWine earlier this year proposed nearly doubling Ohio’s cigarette tax — from $1.60 a pack to $3.10. It didn’t pass the legislature, but DeWine intended to use the $319 million it was projec... [3378 symbols]
Topics: Cigarettes