K&C: Indiana cigarette use drops 40% after new tax hike

Cigarette consumption in Indiana plunged in the first months after a major tax increase, with state health officials reporting sharp declines in smoking and a surge in residents seeking help to quit.

Cigarette butts in ashtrays — Source: picture alliance / Getty

Indiana’s cigarette use dropped sharply following a long-awaited tax hike, with consumption falling 40% in the first three months after the increase, according to the Indiana Department of Health. Over the same period, enrollment in the state’s Quit Now Indiana smoking cessation program rose nearly 40%.

“[Cigarette] use impacts, really, every aspect of health,” said Miranda Spitznagle, who leads the Department of Health’s Division of Tobacco Prevention and Cessation. She emphasized that tobacco addiction is “fully preventable.” Spitznagle said raising taxes — and therefore prices — is an effective way to push current smokers to quit and discourage new users. “It’s a huge policy factor for public health,” she added.

Lawmakers approved a $2-per-pack increase as part of House Enrolled Act 1001, the state’s two-year budget. Taxes on e-cigarettes and other tobacco products rose proportionally. Spitznagle said this broad approach helps stop people from avoiding higher costs by simply switching to different products.

“This year, Indiana lawmakers stood up to Big Tobacco” by passing the hikes, said Allie Kast Gregg of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network. Budget pressures also played a role, prompting the Senate to finally support the measure.

Since the increase took effect July 1, cigarette tax revenue has surged. Indiana collected $188 million from July through October, nearly triple last year’s $68 million for the same months. IDOH used consumption data from July, September, and October to calculate the 40% drop.

Quit Now Indiana saw its July enrollments double compared with the same month last year, and overall participation climbed 38% in the program’s first three months. The program has a 32% quit rate, compared to single-digit success for people who try to quit alone.

Nearly 15% of Indiana adults still smoke, according to 2023 CDC data. Smoking causes thousands of deaths statewide each year; a 2014 CDC estimate puts the annual toll at 11,000. For every death, Spitznagle noted, 30 more people live with chronic smoking-related illnesses.

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