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Fact one: When the price of cigarettes is increased, the smoking rate always drops. At the same time, the revenue from cigarettes increases and then reaches ... Public health suffered a serious blow when the Indiana House of Representatives voted against increasing cigarette prices, which would pay for childhood vaccinations and provide insurance for 100,000 uninsured Hoosiers. Indiana has the second-highest rate of smoking in the nation, but our legislators voted against the most powerful strategy we have to relieve the health and economic burden imposed by smoking.

Nearly 5 percent of sixth-grade students have already started smoking. Six years later, more than 25 percent of Indiana's 12th-graders are smokers. The fact that 27.3 percent of Hoosier adults smoke is a result of an addiction that starts, for most, as teenagers. We need to stop young people from ever starting this deadly habit.

We know tobacco kills. We know it hurts Indiana's economy. And elected officials hold the power to make a positive difference in the health of thousands of Hoosiers. Why would they vote against something the majority of the public supports? How can they settle for being the 49th worst state in the nation in tobacco use? Maybe they just don't know the facts.

Fact one: When the price of cigarettes is increased, the smoking rate always drops. At the same time, the revenue from cigarettes increases and then reaches a plateau. Furthermore, we will see positive effects as tobacco-related health-care costs decrease. The smoking rate does not change overnight, so we can accurately predict the money we raise will help solve some very serious health issues. Money raised from higher cigarette prices is a very reliable source of funding.

Fact two: Tobacco use costs us dearly, and not just in the lives of our loved ones. Almost half of all uninsured Hoosiers are smokers. This means higher rates for people with insurance to cover the costs of tobacco-related illness. A study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that for every pack of cigarettes sold, we pay more than $7 in medical care and lost productivity. It's only fair to ask smokers to pay an extra 50 cents or $1 per pack to help cover the high cost of tobacco use for Indiana.

Fact three: We enable nicotine addiction by keeping the price of cigarettes low and by not funding programs to help smokers quit. We add to the number of addicted youth every day a teenager can afford a pack of cigarettes. When will we take Indiana's No. 1 public health problem seriously?

Our health crisis will only get worse if we do not put prevention first and decrease the burden of chronic disease. Raising the price of cigarettes will help Indiana taxpayers by reducing the burden of tobacco's effects. We need our elected officials to lead, and we need Hoosiers to speak out in support of this increase.

But I haven't given up hope. As a Colts fan, I draw my own inspiration from their performance this past season. During the AFC playoff game, I called my son at halftime when the Colts were down 21-3. He was in Bloomington watching the game with his classmates. "Mom, it's pretty quiet here," he said. They were stunned at what had happened, but were still hopeful that the Colts could come back.

The Colts fought and struggled against the odds, and rallied to the biggest comeback victory in playoff history. Through great teamwork and execution, the Colts achieved their dream, and the rest is history.

Gov. Mitch Daniels and I will not give up, because we know how important it is to Indiana that we improve the state's health. As stunned as we were by the House vote, we know the battle is not over. There is still plenty of time, and with great teamwork and execution, we can rally to a victory.

I hope Indiana will enjoy better health in the future, but it will take the whole team to make it happen. To help us mount our comeback, join me at a rally at the Statehouse North Atrium at 2:30 p.m. today. Gov. Daniels will be the featured speaker. Let's show the Indiana General Assembly that Hoosiers support a cigarette price increase, and want to help decrease smoking rates in our state.