According to the Kentucky Public Service News Center on July 15, the latest data shows that a tax policy aimed at reducing smoking rates in the state of Kentucky has proven to be highly effective. Since the state legislature increased the tobacco tax to 60 cents per pack in 2011, the smoking rate among Kentucky adults has decreased from nearly 30% to 17.4% in 2022. In 2018, when the tobacco tax was raised by an additional 50 cents to $1.10 per pack, the percentage of adult smokers further declined to 17.4%.
Shannon Baker, the spokesperson for the American Lung Association in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Arkansas, stated that while the exact reasons for the decline in smoking rates cannot be determined, raising tobacco taxes is undoubtedly an effective method to reduce smoking rates. She recommended that Kentucky should further increase tobacco taxes by at least $1 and consider imposing equal tax rates on all nicotine products.
Although tobacco tax revenue increased after raising tax rates in 2011 and 2018, it decreased by 24% from 2019 to 2024. Shannon Baker emphasizes that in addition to raising taxes, states should increase funding for tobacco control programs and strictly enforce laws prohibiting the sale of tobacco to minors to reduce youth dependence on nicotine.
Furthermore, a 2023 survey on risky behaviors among teenagers found that 5.3% of high school students in Kentucky currently smoke, while 19.7% reported using e-cigarette products. Among middle school students, 2.2% reported smoking and 12.8% reported using e-cigarette products. Baker pointed out that the impact of e-cigarettes on reducing smoking rates should not be overlooked. She called for addressing the issue of youth e-cigarette use while strengthening regulations on tobacco retailers to ensure compliance with laws prohibiting the sale of tobacco to minors.
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