Tax, Don't Ban

It’s no secret that tobacco use is harmful, but despite its widely documented health risks, the decision to use it should be a personal choice. Recently, the Cambridge City Council passed an amendment to the city’s Tobacco Ordinance that raised the age to legally purchase tobacco from 18 to 21 as of June. In an interview with The Crimson, Cambridge City Councilor Marc C. McGovern said that the change “is going to be one of the most significant public health decisions we’ve made.” Councilor McGovern is right that reducing the smoking rate among teenagers is crucial because they are especially susceptible to addiction. But raising the legal tobacco purchase age to 21 is not the most efficient way to accomplish that goal. Rather than an outright ban on tobacco sales to those under 21, raising the state excise tax on tobacco would be a more effective policy for the Commonwealth to pursue in its fight against smoking.

Numerous studies have quantified the effect of higher tobacco prices on smoking in a variety of age groups. While the outright ban that the Cambridge City Council passed only directly targets an age range of three years, an increase of the excise tax on tobacco would reduce smoking across all age groups. A June, 2012 study by the Congressional Budget Office estimated that a 10 percent increase in the price of cigarettes would cause smoking rates to decline by 5 percent for 12- to 17-year-olds, 4.5 percent for 18-year-olds, 4 percent for 19- to 39-year-olds, and 1.5 percent for those older than 40.

In short, raising taxes on tobacco products would be a much more powerful solution for Cantabrigians and Bay Staters of all ages. According to CDC data on youth smoking, almost 90 percent of smokers first smoked before the age of 18, and 99 percent tried it by 26. Councillor McGovern told The Crimson that he believes the goal of the city’s new ordinance is to limit smoking by 16- and 17-year-olds, noting that he regularly sees 18-year-olds buying cigarettes for 15-year-olds near the school where he works. Rather than seeking to prevent only the situation McGovern has observed, however, lawmakers could implement a wider solution that will reduce smoking across all age groups. According to a 2014 report from the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, the average tax per pack of cigarettes in Massachusetts was $4.04—a $3.51 excise tax and an average of $0.53 in sales tax. Increasing the excise tax by 10 percent to $3.86 has the potential to put a real dent in smoking rates across all age groups.

In the nationwide battle against smoking, statewide tax increases on tobacco products are only one piece of the puzzle.  In particular, the Food and Drug Administration should move quickly to revise its graphic warning labels in response to an unfavorable, but not fatal, federal court ruling from last year. Studies have shown that these labels are effective in making smokers consider quitting. Along with higher taxes, such changes have the potential to be much more effective than simply raising the tobacco purchase age. Teenagers have always found ways around age-based restrictions. In order to most effectively reduce smoking rates, efforts must hit smokers where it hurts: their wallets.