In Tuesday’s election Smoke free initiatives nationwide reflected an emphasis on moral issues as the deciding factor for votin

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PRESS RELEASE

Date: 6 November 2004

For Immediate Release

Contact: J.R. Few at

(870) 427-1365 or email

Voters Choose Smoke Free Air

In this year’s election smoke free initiatives reflected an emphasis on moral issues nationwide as the deciding factor for voting behavior as clean indoor air ordinances and increased tobacco taxes generally passed by 2 to 1 margins. Citizens voted to increase tobacco taxes in three states: Colorado, Montana, and Oklahoma bringing the total of states that have passed tobacco tax increases since 2002 to 38. The current average cigarette tax is $0.84 cents per pack. Arkansas’ state tobacco tax is only $0.59 cents per pack. There is consensus among researchers that every 10 percent increase in the price of cigarettes decreases cigarette consumption by 4% in adults and 7% in children. In addition to increasing tobacco taxes, communities in seven states joined the over 1,600 localities providing clean indoor air ordinances in workplaces and public spaces. Smoke free workplaces increase a person’s chances of overcoming nicotine addiction by a multiple of 4. Studies also show youth are half as likely to start if they know the harm secondhand smoke causes others.

Speaking at the 5^th Annual Arkansas Cancer Summit on Faith Based Tobacco Prevention, Bishop Douglas Miles, President of the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance in Baltimore shared the motivation behind Maryland’s faith community’s efforts at raising their tobacco taxes. A former smoker, Bishop Miles was compelled to act after hearing a tobacco executive quoted as saying, “We reserve the right to smoke for the poor, the black, the stupid, and the young.” He added that it is important to bring the faith community up to speed concerning the devious tobacco lobby and offer a call to social action. Too many churches have become “Pray Stations” divesting themselves of social issues while allowing an industry to kill 450,000 people each year. “The faith community must get involved in tobacco prevention because it is simply the right thing to do. Public health is nondenominational.”

Chairperson for Tobacco-Free Marion County, and Chaplain for Good Samaritan Village in Mountain Home, Jerry Strobel offers, “It is encouraging to see so many communities choosing effective, evidence based, efforts at challenging big tobacco. Smoke free coalitions can never match the incredible sums the industry spends marketing; over a million dollars an hour. Citizens must realize their ethical obligation and right to smoke free air and smoke free lives for our kids.”

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Speaking at the Arkansas Cancer Summit in Little Rock last month, Bishop Douglas Miles President of the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance in Baltimore reflected on smoke free ballot initiatives, “Jehovah Jireh, The Lord provides.” He encouraged the faith community to help the nation write a new vision where the social norms do not reflect the lies and the money of the tobacco industry.

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