This commentary is by Sultana Khan. She is the director of social change at Mosaic Vermont, a sexual violence and substance use prevention agency in Washington County. She is a writer, speaker and educator from central Vermont, where she spends most of her time getting lost in the woods.
As Vermont continues to explore ways of supporting healthier, happier futures for all residents, there are many smart policies being proposed to address some of the issues that most affect our beautiful little state.
Unfortunately, thanks to corporate influence and misinformation, many of these efforts are being sidelined by arguments that don’t reflect our state’s values, our collective dreams for the future or our commitment to freedom of choice. This is glaringly obvious in one particular area — Big Tobacco’s influence on legislation regarding flavored tobacco products.
Even as Juul has been ordered to pay nearly $3 billion for their lies about the addictive nature of vapes and their role in creating a nationwide adolescent vaping public health crisis, companies selling nicotine products continue to manipulate the public and our elected officials about the impact of their products on health, the economy and the environment.
While policies aimed at nicotine regulation seem like small efforts to change the path of Vermont’s future, especially in relation to a desperate housing crisis and labor shortage, not to mention inflation, nothing could be further from the truth.
Vermont spends $404 million annually on treating tobacco-caused illnesses.
According to a report from the Vermont Department of Health, “Based on total VT Medicaid spending of $1.7 billion in 2021 and a 1% decrease in the smoking rate among Medicaid-insured Vermonters between 2018 to 2021, VT is estimated to have saved $2.3 million in Medicaid spending in 2022.”
This aligns with data from the Vermont Tobacco Control Program that states, “In 2021, 26% of adult Vermonters who live below the 250% of the federal poverty level currently smoke cigarettes. This is over three times the rate of those with higher income. Evidence shows that the desire to quit smoking among those of lower income is strong, help is needed to succeed. Adult Vermonters insured by Medicaid smoke at nearly three times the rate (28%) of those with private health insurance (10%).”
This is a class and a moral issue.
Those arguing against bans on selling flavored tobacco products are essentially saying they believe Vermont’s retail economy should be subsidized by our most financially at-risk populations, rather than taking the necessary, urgent actions needed to address the many factors contributing to Vermont’s current economic state.
Sooner or later, we have to stop kicking the can down the street.
I urge you to reach out to your elected officials and ask how they are supporting common-sense solutions to building a healthier, happier Vermont, including policies that keep morally bankrupt companies from trying to ensure their own profits by poisoning future generations of our unique and mighty state.
