RELEASE: HEALTHY MONTANA INITIATIVE, I-185, QUALIFIES FOR NOVEMBER BALLOT
(Helena, Mont.) – The Montana Secretary of State officially certified today that the Healthy Montana Initiative, I-185, qualified for the November 2018 ballot.
Montanans personally affected by tobacco-related disease and death delivered more than 40,000 signatures in June from Montanans who want to increase the tobacco tax to prevent a loss of health care services for thousands of Montana families and veterans.
“Montanans are picking up the bill for rising health care costs caused by Big Tobacco and their deadly products. Today’s news means that Montanans across the state will get to stand up for a healthier future against the multinational tobacco corporations that have spent millions of dollars influencing our elections,” said Amanda Cahill, American Heart Association Montana Government Relations Director.
“Thousands of Montana veterans and their families who have sacrificed for us are eligible for Medicaid. Some of the funds from increasing the state tax on tobacco products will help fund nursing home care for veterans and important programs that keep seniors in their homes, and will prevent approximately 100,000 Montanans from losing their Medicaid coverage. I-185 is an important step forward for a healthier Montana,” said Al Ward, AARP Montana.
“In Montana, more than 28 percent of cancer deaths are caused by smoking,” said American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network Montana Government Relations Director Kristin Page-Nei. “I-185 would prevent an estimated 8,000 Montana kids from smoking, which would amount to youth smoking rates dropping more than 20 percent.”
Healthy Montana Initiative, I-185 will:
- Finally ask big tobacco corporations to pay their fair share to fight cancer and other tobacco-related diseases. Today, tobacco-related diseases costs Montana taxpayers more than $81 million per year in increased Medicaid costs alone;
- Prevent the loss of Medicaid coverage for 100,000 Montanans including veterans and working families;
- Support rural hospitals and clinics to ensure that they remain open for all Montanans;
- Directly fund important veterans’services and services that help seniors and people with disabilities stay in their homes;
- Fund smoking prevention and cessation programs, to help motivate adults who smoke to quit, and keep kids from starting to smoke. Currently, 1,600 of our Montana neighbors die from smoking every year.
Montana last increased the tobacco tax in 2004 when citizens overwhelmingly voted to increase the cigarette tax to $1.70 per pack. But, tobacco use continues to take a tragic toll. Increasing the state tax on tobacco as proposed will prevent 4,800 premature deaths from smoking, decrease youth smoking rates by 20.6 percent, prevent 8,000 Montana kids from becoming adult smokers and help 9,300 adults quit smoking. It will also reduce annual health care expenditures directly caused by tobacco, which amount to $440 million each year in Montana – $779 each year for every Montana household.
The Healthy Montana Initiative is supported by a diverse coalition of Montana organizations interested in improving the health of all Montanans, from American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network and AARP Montana to rural hospitals and community health clinics. Learn more about supporting organizations here.