A National Legal-Action Antismoking Organization
Entirely Supported by Tax-Deductible Contributions
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Action on Smoking and Health
A National Legal-Action Antismoking Organization Entirely Supported by Tax-Deductible Contributions
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Canada to Implement New Cigarette Tax to Pay for Smoking Cessation Programs[08/21-3]
Excerpts from: BCMA Calls for Tobacco Tax to Fund Stop-Smoking Programs
CCN
Matthews [08/20/03]
The Canadian Medical Association today passed a resolution, brought by the British
Columbia Medical Association, to ask provincial and territorial governments
to institute a dedicated tax of 10 cents per packof cigarettes to pay for a
smoking cessation support program. The program should provide smokers with physician-prescribed
stop-smoking medication and counseling for 12 weeks-per-year. This resolution
was passed at the annual meeting of the Canadian Medical Association in Winnipeg.
Research has shown that use of stop-smoking medications such as bupropion and
the nicotine patch or gum, when combined with counseling from a physician, is
the most effective method of quitting smoking.
Smoking costs the Canadian economy approximately $9.56 billion per year, or
$336 per person. Of that total, $2.67 billion is a direct health care cost related
to smoking, according to the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse. By using a
dedicated tax to fund stop-smoking programs, Canadians are providing their own
assistance to those wanting to quit the habit.
More than 45,000 people will die prematurely this year in Canada due to tobacco use. The doctors of BC find this figure unacceptable, and ask that governments play a more active role in decreasing thenumber of smokers through funding effective smoking cessation programs using a dedicated tax.
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