Missourians for Health and Education

Why a Tobacco Tax?

• Each year thousands of Missourians are diagnosed with tobacco-caused cancers, heart and lung diseases, and many will lose their lives.

• Missouri has the lowest cigarette tax (17¢ ) of all states in the nation, and very high smoking and other tobacco product use rates. National average tax is $1.49.

• Costs an estimated $581 per household in public expenditures, and claims 9,500 lives per year in Missouri from cancer and other smoking-related diseases.

• This ballot measure will mean increased longevity, improved quality of life, and fewer Missourians who will needlessly suffer and die from tobacco-caused diseases.

• This is a public health initiative that will impact the lives of Missourians for generations to come, through better health and education.

Why a Tobacco Tax?

Revenue Win• Provides CDC recommended levels of tobacco control

funding• Provides additional revenue for K-12 and Higher Education

Health Win• One of the most effective ways to reduce smoking rates

and other tobacco product use, and helps prevent our youth from ever starting

• Increase is on cigarette and other tobacco products

State Tobacco Tax Excise Rates

Surrounding States

Health Impact in Missouri

Smoking Prevalence• Missouri adults 21.1%, Missouri is 11th highest in

smoking prevalence now• 19.5% high school students smoke • 8,600 Missouri kids (under 18) become new daily

smokers each year.• Annual healthcare costs directly caused by

smoking: $2.13 billion• Annual cost of smoking to Medicaid: $532 million

$.73 Tax Increase Projected Benefits

• Kids in Missouri kept from becoming addicted adult smokers: 40,100

• Current adult smokers in the state who would quit: 33,300• Smoking-affected births avoided over next five years: 8,200• Missouri residents saved from premature smoking-caused death:

22,200• 5-year health savings from fewer smoking-affected pregnancies

& births: $17.69 million• 5-year health savings from fewer smoking-caused heart attacks &

strokes: $11.80 million• Long-term health savings in the state from adult & youth

smoking declines: $1.37 billion

Allocation of Funding

• 50% Elementary and Secondary Education (emphasis in the classroom)

• 30% Universities and Colleges (emphasis on training healthcare providers)

• 20% Prevention and Quit Assistance

Elementary and Secondary Education

• Prevent staff reductions & increased class sizes.• Ballot language includes safeguard to ensure additional revenue to K-12 education

(supplement, not supplant)

Distribution method• DESE shall distribute• Funds will be distributed based on average daily attendance• Then funds will distributed on a per pupil basis• At least 25% of the moneys shall be used in direct classroom expenditures

Purposes, include, but not limited to:• Teacher recruitment & retention, salaries or professional development;• School construction, renovation, or leasing;• Technology enhancements, textbooks, or instructional materials; • School safety; or• Supplying additional funding for required state & federal programs.

Higher Education

• Department of Higher Education distributes to public colleges and universities

• Based on proportion of basic operating appropriations for preceding FY– 25% shall be used for programs related to the

education, training, and development of future caregivers• including physicians, dentists, optometrists,

pharmacists, nurses, and other healthcare providers

Tobacco Prevention and Quit Assistance

• Responsible for establishing initiatives to promote tobacco use quit assistance and prevention and public health for tobacco-related disease – including a comprehensive statewide tobacco

control program– 15% may be used for public health, including loan

forgiveness or scholarships for medical professionals who work in underserved areas

Questions?