Home | Back

Higher tax on tobacco pushed at Statehouse

Share_print Print Story    |    Comments    |   

Heather Rainone
March 18, 2010

By Marc Kovac

Record-Courier Capital Bureau

COLUMBUS -- Rick Bender started chewing tobacco at age 12. By the time he was 26, the Florida man was diagnosed with oral cancer.

"I lost a third of my tongue," he told an audience at the Statehouse Wednesday. "... They had to chase the cancer down into the right side of my neck. They dug out my lymph glands. I lost partial use of my right arm because of nerve damage."

Bender, who also lost half of his jaw to cancer, travels the country talking to young people about the dangers of tobacco.

"I really don't care whether you roll it in a cigarette, stuff it in a pipe or chew it," he said. "It is all the same stuff, and it can do the same things to you."

Bender joined other anti-smoking advocates at the Statehouse as they continued their push for higher taxes on cigarettes and other tobacco products.

The Investing in Tobacco-Free Youth Coalition has been calling for a doubling of the state's cigarette tax, to $2.50 per pack from the current $1.25, and an equalization of taxes on cigars, snuff and other tobacco products, which are currently taxed at lower rates than cigarettes.

Supporters say the changes would bring in about $400 million in tax revenues, which the state could use for health and smoking cessation programs.

"All our polling shows that voters are in favor of this," said Beverly May, regional advocacy director of the coalition.

The coalition has long sought legislative support for the moves. So far, no lawmakers have taken up the cause and introduced the tax increases in bill for m.




Comments
By Posting to this site, you agree to our Terms of Service Be polite. Inappropriate posts may be removed. Recordpub.com doesn't necessarily condone the comments here, nor does it review every post.

Login above or Register to comment.
 0 Total Comments Home | Back