INDIANAPOLIS – The state estimates that nearly 40,000 Hoosiers will soon seek to stop using tobacco products after tax increases on those items take effect on July 1.
The new average price of a pack of cigarettes in Indiana will increase to $11 due to the $2 per pack increase. The tax hike also applies to vapes and chewing tobacco.
To assist individuals in the workplace, the Indiana Chamber’s Wellness Council of Indiana (WCI) is releasing an enhanced version of its Quit Now Tool. This web-based platform now offers modernized, ready-to-use modules for tobacco users, non-users, and employers. The program is entirely free for WCI members.
”It’s a much strengthened playbook designed to help employers act on this unique moment,” offers WCI Executive Director Ashley O’Rourke. “The Quit Now Tool has been completely refreshed with upgraded features and content, streamlined navigation, and clear, tailored messaging to reflect today’s workplace realities.
“Many who use tobacco really want to quit, but it’s an addiction, and a foundation of support is key. So, what we’ve done is make it easier to promote tobacco cessation, build a supportive culture, and guide employees to proven resources to help them stop smoking and vaping,” she adds.
Several specific enhancements have been made to the updated Quit Now Tool, which O’Rourke believes will make it more appealing and valuable. These include printable course completion certificates, streamlined access for company managers to view employee progress, a simplified employee invitation process, and inclusive features to ensure accessibility for users with impairments or disabilities.
The Quit Now Tool was first introduced in 2012 and built as a complement to the services of 1-800-QUITNOW, Indiana’s Tobacco Quitline.
On the public policy side, the Indiana Chamber was a longtime proponent of increasing the tobacco tax, which had not been altered since 2007.
“Besides, obviously being good for individuals, a healthy state is good for business. Research has shown that an employee who smokes (or uses tobacco) costs an employer $5,800 more than one who doesn’t use tobacco. It’s that simple,” states Indiana Chamber President and CEO Vanessa Green Sinders.
“That’s why we urge more employers to embrace the Quit Now Tool and consider other steps they can take to encourage or even incentivize their team members to give up tobacco products. By doing so, it will increase employee wellness, lower healthcare costs for employers, plus boost productivity and reduce absenteeism in the workplace.”
The Indiana Chamber made healthy and prosperous communities and citizens one of the six main pillars of its Indiana Prosperity 2035 vision plan for the state. Among the specific goals are reducing the state’s smoking (and vaping) rates, which are higher than the national average.
Membership in the Wellness Council of Indiana currently starts at $300. For more information on the Quit Now Tool and program enrollment, visit www.wellnessindiana.org/quit.
