Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

TU-17.1 Data Details

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TU-17.1 Increase the Federal and State tax on cigarettes

About the Data: National

Description of the data source, numerator, denominator, survey questions, and other relevant details about the national estimate.

Data Source:

State Tobacco Activities Tracking and Evaluation System (STATE); Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (CDC/NCCDPHP)

Changed Since the Healthy People 2020 Launch:

Yes

Measure:

number

Baseline (Year):

1 (2010)

Target:

Target-Setting Method:

Maintain consistency with national programs, regulations, policies, and laws.

Target-Setting Method Justification:

The Task Force on Community Preventive Services recommends price increases through excise taxes as an effective policy intervention to prevent smoking initiation by adolescents and young adults, reduce cigarette consumption, and increase the number of smokers who quit. From 2000 to 2009, the average (mean) State tobacco excise tax increased $0.92 from $0.42 per pack to $1.34 per pack. In addition, in April 2009, the Federal tobacco excise tax increased by $0.61 to $1.01 per pack. Over the past decade, five instances occurred in which 10 or more States raised their tobacco excise taxes in a single year. Given the increases in both the State and Federal taxes during the past decade, along with the focus by the tobacco control community on the revenue generated and public health benefits realized through tobacco price increases, the HP2020 target is set at an increase of $1.50 per pack by each State, the District of Columbia, and by the Federal Government over the decade.

Numerator:

Number of States, D.C., and the Federal government that increased tax on a pack of cigarettes by at least $1.50 over the decade

Comparable Healthy People 2010 Objective:

Adapted from HP2010 objective

Data Collection Frequency:

Annual

Methodology Notes:

For the purpose of measuring this indicator, the Federal government is counted as the 52nd 'state'. Also, measurement is counted as of January 1st for each year.

On April 1, 2009, the largest Federal excise tax increase in history went into effect, increasing the excise tax on cigarettes from 39 cents to $1.01 per pack. This increase brought the combined Federal and average state excise tax for cigarettes above $2.00 per pack.

Changes Between HP2010 and HP2020:

This objective differs from Healthy People 2010 objective 27-21a in that the Healthy People 2010 objective measured the mean combined Federal and State tax on cigarettes based on excise taxes on the retail price on a pack of 20 cigarettes in all 50 states and DC (based on full priced brands). This objective counts the number of states, D.C., and the Federal government that, over the Healthy People 2020 tracking period, increase the tax on a pack of cigarettes by at least $1.50.

About the Data: State

Description of the data source, numerator, denominator, survey questions, and other relevant details about the state-level data.

Data Source:

State Tobacco Activities Tracking and Evaluation System (STATE); Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (CDC/NCCDPHP)

Measure:

number

Numerator:

Number of States, D.C., and the Federal government that increased tax on a pack of cigarettes by at least $1.50 over the decade

Data Collection Frequency:

Annual

Methodology Notes:

For the purpose of measuring this indicator, the Federal government is counted as the 52nd 'state'. Also, measurement is counted as of January 1st for each year.

Revision History

Any change to the objective text, baseline, target, target-setting method or data source since the Healthy People 2020 launch.

Description of Changes Since the Healthy People 2020 Launch:

In 2014, the baseline value was revised from 0 to 1 after further review of the data. The target was not revised, following the original target setting method.

References

Additional resources about the objective

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Reducing Tobacco Use: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta, Georgia: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 2000.

View Data Details for all objectives in Tobacco Use