32-Cent Levy on Cigarettes, Ad Ban Urged

The American Heart Assn. called Tuesday for a doubling of the federal cigarette tax to 32 cents a pack and a ban on tobacco advertising as part of a program to end smoking in the United States by the year 2000.

In a special report, the organization also recommended further clean-air legislation at federal, state and local levels as well as government help for tobacco farmers that would allow them to switch to other crops.

“These measures can speed progress toward the surgeon general’s goal of a smoke-free society by the year 2000,” said the report, presented at the association’s scientific meeting in Washington.

The association said that doubling the excise tax to 32 cents would raise the average retail price to $1.16 a pack from $1.

2.2 Million Fewer Smokers

As a result, the report said, “Americans would demand almost 43 billion fewer cigarettes. The number of smokers would fall by 2.2 million or more, and federal excise revenues would rise by roughly $4.1 billion.”

The 16-cent per pack cigarette tax was due to expire at the end of September when the levy would have reverted to 8 cents a pack. Congress, however, was reluctant to give up the additional revenue and voted to keep the tax in effect until Nov. 14, allowing time for action on a permanent extension.

President Reagan signed the temporary measure but opposes continuation of the higher cigarette tax and has indicated that he would veto a permanent extension.

The association report said that a tax increase would be an especially effective deterrent among young people. The number of teen-agers who smoke would drop by almost 18%, or close to 850,000, if the tax were doubled, it said.

Links to Inflation Rate

The group urged state and local governments to increase cigarette taxes and said that all government levels should link taxes to the inflation rate.

National consumption is 600 billion cigarettes annually. About 54 million Americans smoke, the organization said.

The association also urged a ban on promotion of all tobacco products, including sponsorship of sports events and distribution of free samples.