Black Lives Matter.
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

NC Council of Churches

Strength in Unity, Peace through Justice

  • Voices
  • About
    • Overview
    • Staff
    • Members
    • Covenant Partners
    • Issue Statements
    • Governing Board
  • Programs
    • Ecumenical Immigration Alliance
      • Ideas for Action
      • Sign Our Statement
      • The NC Sanctuary Coalition
      • Immigration Bible Study
      • Contact
    • NC Interfaith Power & Light
      • NCIPL Overview
      • Faith in Action NCIPL
      • NCIPL Articles
      • NCIPL Resources
      • Upcoming Events for NCIPL
      • Contact NCIPL
    • Partners in Health & Wholeness
      • PHW Staff
      • Mini-Grants
      • PHW Collaborative Pledge
      • The Overdose Crisis: The Faith Community Responds
      • PHW Articles
      • FAQs
  • Priorities
    • Racial Justice
    • The Overdose Crisis: The Faith Community Responds
    • Gun Violence Prevention
    • Public Education
    • NC Sanctuary Coalition
    • Farmworkers
    • Legislative Advocacy
    • Christian Unity
    • Peace
    • NC No Torture
  • COVID-19 Resources
  • Events
  • Resources
    • Publications & Reports
    • Raleigh Report
    • Lectionary
    • Sermons
  • Donate
  • Council Store
  • Show Search

Search NC Council of Churches

Hide Search

Increasing the Cigarette Tax

North Carolina Council of Churches · December 2, 2003 · Leave a Comment

A Policy Statement Adopted by the Executive Board North Carolina Council of Churches, December 2, 2003

The Issue

The question of raising the tax on cigarettes appears to pose a conflict between positions taken by the North Carolina Council of Churches in previous years. On the one hand, the Council has warned of the health risks associated with cigarette smoking, supported measures leading to better health and providing more accessible health care, and called for steps to limit youth access to cigarettes. On the other hand, the Council has long supported a more progressive tax structure and opposed regressive taxes:

Some relevant information:

  • 26% of NC adults are smokers.
  • 38.3% of NC high school students use tobacco products (national average is 34%).
  • 18.4% of NC youth in grades 6 to 8 use tobacco products (national average is 15.1%).
  • The average age a person starts to use tobacco products is between 12 and 14 years old.
  • NC’s cigarette tax is currently 5¢ per pack, the third lowest in the county.
  • Cigarette taxes currently range from 2.5¢ per pack (Virginia) to $2.05 (New Jersey). The average tax overall is 72.9¢.  Excluding the major tobacco states, the average tax is 80.9¢.
  • An increase in the cigarette tax of 75¢ per pack is estimated to produce a 16% decrease in youth smoking. Increasing the cost of cigarettes has proven to be the most effective way to reduce smoking among youth.
  • Tobacco use is higher among lower-income groups.
  • Since the cigarette tax is on a per-pack basis, not a percentage of the price, the tax is the same for the lowest priced generic brand and the highest priced premium brand.
  • A 75¢ increase in the cigarette tax would cost the poorest 20% of the population (those with incomes under $15,000) 0.66% of their income. Those in the top 1% (incomes of $314,000 or more) would only pay 0.01% of their income.
  • The gap between rich and poor is increasing. Nationally, the Congressional Budget Office has just reported that the gap in income is at its widest since at least 1979. (Other national data indicate that the gap is larger than it has been since 1929.) From 1979 to 2000, the bottom 40% of income earners saw their portion of the nation’s income drop from 19% to about 14½%. During the same time frame, the top 1% saw their income share rise from 7½% to 15½%.
  • One of several reasons for this increasing gap in income is an increasing disparity in tax policy. In NC, from 1989 to 2002, the poorest 20% of taxpayers were the only quintile group to see their combined state and local taxes increase. The richest 1% of taxpayers saw their taxes decline by the largest percentage.

Recommendation

The North Carolina Council of Churches believes that it is possible to craft tax policy which would both decrease youth tobacco use and lead to a fairer tax structure and which could also help those already addicted to nicotine. Therefore, the Council supports an increase in the cigarette tax of at least 75¢ per pack, but only if the revenues generated are used for 1) smoking cessation programs, 2) health care costs, and/or 3) changes in the tax structure which benefit people of lowest incomes. This could be through the institution of a state Earned Income Tax Credit (which the Council has earlier endorsed), an increase in the minimum level at which people must pay income taxes, a decrease in the sales tax rate, or some other change that reduces the tax burden on people with the lowest incomes. Specifically, the Council will not support an increase in the cigarette tax if the additional revenue is part of a plan to decrease the corporate tax rate.

Filed Under: Issue Statements Tagged With: Economic Justice, Health

North Carolina Council of Churches

About North Carolina Council of Churches

The Council enables denominations, congregations, and people of faith to individually and collectively impact our state on issues such as economic justice and development, human well-being, equality, compassion and peace, following the example and mission of Jesus Christ. Learn more about our work here: www.ncchurches.org/about

Reader Interactions

More Like This

Raise the Wage
Raleigh Report – April 29, 2019
Raleigh Report – April 22, 2019

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Anonymous comments or comments that target individuals will not be posted (please include your first and last name). All comments must be on topic and respectful. Comments will not be posted until they have been reviewed by a moderator. Comments do not reflect the positions of the NC Council of Churches.

Footer

Contact

NC Council of Churches
27 Horne St.
Raleigh, NC 27607
(919) 828-6501
info@ncchurches.org

Facebook

Partners in Health and Wholeness

Featured

Increasing the Cigarette Tax

Latest Tweets

Just last week, our Governing Board adopted a resolution calling for the removal of Confederate symbols in public squares. As people of faith & conscience, we believe such monuments are a constant reminder of prejudice against black and brown people. >> ncchurches.org/2021/… pic.twitter.com/iGCX…

About 3 days ago

"Amanda Gorman in her inauguration poem 'The Hill We Climb' begins with the lines: 'When day comes we ask ourselves where can we find light in this never-ending shade?'" Read more of this 2nd Sunday lenten reflection from Elizabeth Brewington >> ncchurches.org/2021/… pic.twitter.com/pgge…

About 3 days ago

"Perhaps it’s the pandemic that offers a fitting analogy to the condition of our politics as Americans try to recover from the trauma of Jan. 6 – when we came dangerously close to the onset of an anti-democratic Trump-ocracy." Read more from Steve Ford >> ncchurches.org/2021/…

About 3 days ago

FACT: Countries where maternal mortality rates have significantly dropped (~ -50%) in the past few decades (e.g., France, Germany, Sweden), have generous paid leave laws. #BlackHistoryMonth #Paidleave #BlackHealth pic.twitter.com/PgWW…

About 4 days ago

Call your Member of Congress and tell them paid leave is crucial to public health and economic recovery. Text paidleave (one word) to 844-955-2880 or visit bit.ly/39PWQde to begin. #AmericanRescuePlan #PaidLeave #BlackHealth

About 4 days ago

Follow @ncchurches

Latest Tweets

Dr. Satcher questioned the structures that have upheld health disparities in our communities. By laying the foundation for this work, we can continue taking meaningful action towards promoting a society where we can all thrive. #BlackHistoryMonth @HHSGov @Surgeon_General pic.twitter.com/zrw2…

About 3 days ago

Amen! #MindfulTogether twitter.com/cornerpr…

About 4 days ago

RT @MAHECwnc There has never been a better time to quit smoking and vaping. Protect your health by keeping your lungs healthy! #quitlinenc #covid19 #asheville pic.twitter.com/bKlC…

About 4 days ago

Check out this new resource from @DrugPolicyOrg challenging us to dig deeper and work together to uproot the drug war. uprootingthedrugwar.… #harmreduction #mindfultogether

About 4 days ago

Dr. Julian's work was instrumental to the public health community. We carry his passion as we continue reckoning with our past so that we may continue building the beloved community. Learn more about Dr. Julian's legacy at pbs.org/wgbh/nova/ju…. #BlackHistoryMonth @novapbs pic.twitter.com/JJsm…

About 5 days ago

Follow @healthandfaith

Latest Tweets

RT @greenthechurch Be sure to read Green The Church's COO Kim Noble's op ed, "#EnvironmentalJustice in Focus this #BlackHistoryMonth", in the Texas Metro News! @Kimrenay22 #Austin #DFW #Houston #Texas #SanAntonio #EJ ow.ly/mOtw50DGQnN pic.twitter.com/IPOO…

About 3 days ago

RT @ActionAidUSA To build a truly just, equitable & sustainable world, we need to fight for a new #socialcontract. That means: ✔️ Defending democracy ✔️ Fighting for climate justice ✔️ Building equitable food systems ✔️ Supporting women’s leadership. Learn more: bit.ly/2M8xT40 pic.twitter.com/fEWv…

About 3 days ago

RT @interfaithpower IPL is proud to be a signer on this letter. The U.S. must provide bold and socially just leadership to protect our communities from the impacts of climate change, including the threats to our economy- @sbhendershot twitter.com/RealBank…

About 3 days ago

RT @interfaithpower "This is all of our country, this is our mother. It's difficult to not feel obligated to protect this land" - @DebHaalandNM with a powerful reminder of what she believes in. Her passion is exactly what we need right now; the Senate must #ConfirmHaaland! #ConfirmClimate

About 3 days ago

RT @EPA EPA is proud to join our agency partners as we tackle the climate crisis and build a healthier, cleaner, more equitable future for all. Let’s do this! whitehouse.gov/brief…

About 6 days ago

Follow @ncipl

Latest Tweets

Copyright © 2021 NC Council of Churches · All Rights Reserved · Website by Tomatillo Design · Hosted by WP Engine