Wednesday, September 17 2008
The article from
WIBW.com reports that the Kansas Health Policy Authority hopes the legislature will agree to its 10 proposals, which include a 75¢ tobacco increase and a statewide smoking ban in public areas.
"We know that tobacco tax increases of ten percent reduce smoking four percent among adults and even more among price sensitive teens," said Dr. Barb Langner who is the Policy Director for the KHPA. Langner says members met Tuesday to finalize the proposals.
"There are lots of health care costs because people choose to smoke and there are also the incidents of second hand smoke which effects people who haven't made that choice," says Langner.
The income from the tabacco tax would go primarily to poor parents to help them with health care costs. Langner says the parents would have to make $1,200 a month or less to qualify. She says the tax would help to bring health care to those whom otherwise would not have it.
Smoking Ban and Tobacco Tax Increase Proposed by KHPA
