45th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2002
REQUESTING THAT THE TOBACCO SETTLEMENT REVENUE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE AND THE INDIAN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE WORK WITH ALL TWENTY-TWO INDIAN NATIONS, TRIBES AND PUEBLOS IN THE STATE TO EXPLORE SMOKING PREVENTION AND CESSATION STRATEGIES THROUGH THE IMPOSITION OF TAXES OR INCREASE OF TAXES ON THE SALE OF CIGARETTES.
WHEREAS, every year over twenty-six billion packs of cigarettes are sold; and
WHEREAS, smoking kills more than four hundred thousand people every year; and
WHEREAS, someone dies from a smoking-related illness every thirteen seconds; and
WHEREAS, the younger a person is when he starts using tobacco, the more likely he is to become strongly addicted to nicotine; and
WHEREAS, fifty percent of the smokers in New Mexico began smoking between the ages of fourteen and eighteen years of age; and
WHEREAS, smoking prevention and cessation programs are proving to be effective at preventing youth smoking addiction; and
WHEREAS, taxes on cigarettes, which raise the price of cigarettes, on both state and tribal land, are also a deterrent to smoking addiction; and
WHEREAS, many other states and Indian nation, tribal and pueblo governments have been effective at preventing smoking addiction through the imposition of taxes on the sale of cigarettes;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the tobacco settlement revenue oversight committee and the Indian affairs committee be requested to work with all twenty-two Indian nations, tribes and pueblos to explore smoking prevention and cessation strategies through the imposition of taxes or increase of taxes on the sale of cigarettes; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that officials of other states be requested to attend the interim committee meetings to inform the committees of any solutions agreed upon within their respective states regarding the taxation of cigarettes on Indian nation, tribal and pueblo lands; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the chairmen of the tobacco settlement revenue oversight committee and the Indian affairs committee.