Fallin: Action Needed Now To Reduce Oklahoma’s Leading Cause of Death
Action needed now to reduce Oklahoma’s leading cause of death
By GOV. MARY FALLIN
Improving the health of Oklahomans has been a continuing goal of my administration.
And the most important thing we can do to improve our health is to reduce Oklahoma’s leading cause of preventable death — smoking.
That’s why at the start of this year’s legislative session three months ago I proposed increasing the tax on cigarettes. It is the single most effective way to reduce smoking.
And with this year’s legislative session scheduled to end May 27, legislators are running out of time.
Lawmakers have two options. They can approve the cigarette tax themselves, which would require a three-fourths majority in both the House of Representatives and Senate, or approve a measure sending the question to a vote of the people in November.
I prefer they decide the issue themselves. The revenue from the tax, estimated at $181.6 million a year, can start pouring in immediately, which would help offset some of the $1.3 billion deficit facing our state in the upcoming fiscal year, which starts July 1. The additional revenue also could prevent large health-care provider cuts, which could result in the closing of hospitals and nursing homes across the state, or help with public school expenses. Legislators can decide as they grapple with crafting a balanced budget by the time they adjourn.