We Need your help!

Our main Call to Action for you is to call your senators’ office (just senators, not representatives).  We are at a super important point in the budget process and Senators are deciding what to include in their budget bill. For your Senate Calls, call (317) 232-9400. Ask to be connected to your State Senator. Reminder: if you need to check who your senator is, you can check that here

Here is a basic script for your calls. You may be asked for your address.

My name is _____ calling from (Insert hometown). I’m calling to ask Senator ______ to support raising the cigarette tax this year. It has been 14 years since it was last raised, and this is the best year possible to do it. The House Budget included a 50-cent increase, but based on evidence from Ohio and Kentucky, that’s just not enough to lower smoking rates and keep kids from accessing the products. Plus tobacco companies simply offer promotions and coupons to keep people buying. It also doesn’t generate much funding to address the health emergency facing the state. For years now, health and business groups have been united in asking for a $2.00 per pack increase, and I think that’s what is really needed based on how far behind our state is. So please take the opportunity to be a leader on this issue. Let’s move the cigarette tax forward in the Senate this year, but it has to be enough to make a difference for the health of the state. 50-cents just doesn’t measure up. Thank you!

Your support means so much! Thank you for being a partner in public health!