As budget negotiations drag on in the Pennsylvania General Assembly, legislators are considering whether to raise tobacco taxes.

And the leadership needs to hear from constituents like you!

A coalition of major health organizations is fighting to increase the cigarette tax by $1.60 per pack and establish an equivalent tax on other tobacco products.

Why? Pennsylvania hasn’t had a major cigarette tax increase since 2002. And it’s the ONLY state that doesn’t tax smokeless tobacco at all!

A high cigarette tax is the single most effective way to reduce youth smoking. And an equivalent tax on smokeless tobacco is critical, as kids have continued to use products like dip and snuff even as cigarette smoking dropped. 

A $1.60 increase would make a real difference. The cigarette tax alone would: 

• Stop 91,000 kids from smoking.
• Prevent 57,600 premature deaths.
• Save $3.8 billion in health care.

As the state budget debate comes to a close, we need to keep this issue front and center. Sign the petition to make sure your legislators know that you want them to protect Pennsylvania's kids from tobacco addiction.