Death & Taxes
Dear [Decision Maker],
The use of tobacco products remains the number one cause of preventable death in our country, with 1 in 5 deaths nationwide. Raising Mississippi's cigarette tax by $1.50 per pack is an effective way to make positive changes to the health of our citizens, and as your constituent, I urge your support for this increase. According to the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, in Mississippi, 22.5% of adults and 15.2% of high school students smoke; residents' state and federal tax burden from smoking-caused government expenditures is $1,046 per household and smoking is estimated to cost $1.23 billion in direct health care costs, including $319.7 million in Medicaid costs. We cannot afford to ignore the toll that tobacco-related deaths and health care costs have on Mississippians. Please consider increasing the state's cigarette tax by $1.50 per pack for the sake of your constituents like me.
Sincerely,[Your Name] [Your Address] [City, State ZIP][Your Email]
