LISTEN: Georgia has one of the country’s lowest tax rates on tobacco. A group that urges smoking prevention says increasing those taxes would save lives and generate billions to fund critical public health programs. GPB’s Ellen Eldridge reports.

A closeup of a person's nose, mouth and hand while smoking a cigarette

The public comment period on the FDA's proposal to ban menthol cigarettes has been extended to Aug. 2, 2022.

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At 37 cents per pack, Georgia has one of the country’s lowest tax rates on tobacco, which costs the economy and the health of residents, anti-smoking advocates said. 

Increasing the price of a pack of cigarettes is the single most effective way to reduce consumption and raise state revenue, Brian King with Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids said.

"If Georgia were to increase it even just $1.50 per pack, that would prevent 5,400 kids from smoking," King said. "It would prompt nearly 30,000 adults to quit smoking. It would also raise over $300 million in revenue in the first year alone."

State lawmakers this session are dealing with major cuts to federal programs that benefit Georgia, including the elimination of the Office on Smoking and Health at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which provided data to states on tobacco use.

"The bottom line is that states are underfunding their state tobacco prevention control programs and short-changing them," King said.

Georgia ranks 49th out of all states, spending only 2% of what the CDC recommends to implement these policies. 

"And that's on the heels of the state of Georgia eliminating their state tobacco prevention and control program," King said.

Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death in Georgia, but more than $8.6 billion is spent on marketing annually, outspending prevention efforts by nearly 12 to 1.

Tags: Georgia  tobacco  American Lung Association  Youth  GPB News