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?