You can be a powerful agent for change. Your local Lung Association or Cancer Society should have information about the meeting schedule for your community group. By acting locally, you will also contribute globally. Support your national and local legislators' efforts to increase tobacco taxes. The World Bank supports this strategy because evidence from countries of all income levels shows that tax increases on cigarettes are highly effective in reducing the demand for tobacco.
Higher taxes encourage some smokers to quit and discourage children and teens from starting.
They also reduce the number of ex-smokers who return to cigarettes and reduce consumption among current smokers. On average, a rise of 10 percent on a pack of cigarettes will reduce demand by about 4 percent in developed countries, and by 8 percent in developing countries. Worldwide, that means that 40 million smokers would quit, and 10 million tobacco-related deaths would be prevented. Become an armchair activist by writing to your legislators and health insurance corporate boards of directors to provide insurance coverage for smoking cessation medications and programs. If you live in a state that has received a large settlement from tobacco litigation by your state attorney general, urge your state legislators to create an adequately funded tobacco prevention program for your state.