Dear Editor,
For many years, the Wisconsin Hispanic/Latino Tobacco Prevention Network (WHTPN) has been working hard to reduce smoking rates in the Milwaukee area and across the state.
As a network of Hispanics we think the injunction blocking the crackdown on rollyour- own cigarette machines is unfair to our community.
We’ve worked so hard to accomplish a Smoke Free Wisconsin and now we are faced with the fact that stores can provide their clients with RYO cigarettes at a cheaper price.
On Friday, we took a step in the wrong direction when a Madison judge ruled that roll your own (RYO) cigarette stores can continue to dodge the state’s cigarette tax.
Cigarettes made in a RYO store are no different from those made in a factory and they should be taxed the same. Untaxed RYO cigarettes are harming our communities since cheaper cigarettes encourage our kids to start smoking and make it harder for adults to quit.
In Wisconsin, tobacco already costs each household an average of nearly $2,000 a year in health care costs and lost productivity. We’ve worked hard to lower these costs by helping adults quit and preventing tens of thousands of kids from picking up this dangerous lifelong habit.
Taxing RYO cigarettes isn’t just a matter of fairness – more importantly, it’s a matter of keeping our kids and communities healthy and strong.
Sincerely,
Tina Rivera
Milwaukee