July 2014
The ATS joined several other physician and public health organizations in a letter to Congress urging appropriators to adopt a provision that would end the Department of Defense's policy to urge tobacco products sold at military commissaries and exchanges be priced a 5 percent below the local area prevailing price.
Under current DOD policy, military commissaries and exchanges are required to price tobacco products at 5 percent below most competitive price in the local community. In the letter to Congress, the ATS and colleague organizations point out that the price of tobacco products plays an important role in both adult and youth smoking. Research shows that every ten percent increase in the real price of cigarettes will reduce the prevalence of adult smoking by approximately one to two percent and reduce teen smoking by about six to seven percent.
