According to a new poll by Interact for Health and the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky, most Kentucky adults (60 percent) favor raising the minimum age for tobacco purchases from 18 to 21.
However, they are divided on whether or not to increase the tax on each pack of cigarettes by $1 (45 percent in favor; 51 percent opposed). Results are from the 2015 Kentucky Health Issues Poll (KHIP).
“Kentucky has one of the highest smoking rates in the nation,” says Ann Barnum, Vice President, Community Strategies, Interact for Health. “We believe that these policies can deter youth and young adults from starting to smoke cigarettes.” KHIP shows that 26 percent of Kentucky adults are current smokers. Nationally, 18.1 percent of adults report smoking cigarettes.
“The support is there statewide for increasing the age requirement,” says Barnum. “Six in 10 Kentucky adults favor increasing the minimum legal age for tobacco purchases to 21 years of age.” In Northern Kentucky, however, support for an age increase is the lowest of any region, with 54 percent of adults supporting an increase to age 21, and 45 percent opposed.
According to the Institute of Medicine, raising the minimum legal age for the purchase of tobacco products would likely delay young adults from starting smoking and, in the long run, decrease smoking-related health problems. However, only one state, Hawaii, has increased the minimum legal age for purchasing tobacco products to 21 years of age. At present, 115 local jurisdictions in nine states have increased the age to 21.
Agreement on increasing legal age to purchase tobacco
A majority of Republicans (61 percent), Democrats (61 percent) and Independents (55 percent) all report favoring an increase in the minimum legal age to purchase tobacco products from 18 to 21 years old.
Majorities of smokers, former smokers and non-smokers agree
Nearly 6 in 10 current cigarette smokers (57 percent) and former smokers (57 percent) favor increasing the minimum legal age to purchase tobacco products from age 18 to 21. Likewise, a majority of Kentucky adults who report never smoking cigarettes (64 percent) favor this change.
Adults divided on tax; holds across political party lines
Currently in Kentucky the excise tax on a pack of cigarettes is $.60 per pack. Nationally, Kentucky is one of 11 states with an excise tax of $.60 or less. Kentucky adults are divided on the question of increasing the excise tax on cigarettes by $1, with slightly more opposing the increase. Fifty-one percent oppose and 45 percent favor increasing the tax. Northern Kentucky adults are more evenly divided, with 47 percent favoring an increase and 49 percent opposed. Democrats, Republicans and Independents report similarly divided opinions on the topic.
Current smokers oppose excise tax increase
More than 8 in 10 current smokers (85 percent) oppose a $1 increase in Kentucky’s excise tax on cigarettes. Former smokers are divided on the idea of increasing the excise tax; 45 percent oppose it, while slightly more (51 percent) favor it. Adults who report never smoking are most likely to favor an excise tax increase (59 percent).
More information about Kentuckians’ views on tobacco policies and other topics is available at www.interactforhealth.org/kentucky-health-issues-poll.