Tobacco use in Arkansas is higher than in almost any other state. Each year, almost 6,000 people die early of preventable deaths and this costs our state about $2.5 billion in medical expenses and lost productivity. Can you imagine if tobacco was eliminated? We can. Our plan is three-fold: stop kids from taking up tobacco by methods such as raising the legal sale age to 21; make it harder for kids to purchase tobacco products by raising the price; and exclude tobacco use, including electronic nicotine devices, from public places.