Advocacy Group Pushes for Cigarette Tax Increase

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Advocacy Group Pushes for Cigarette Tax Increase

An advocacy group in Indiana is pushing for a $2 per pack cigarette tax. Raise it for Health released a new poll which shows the majority of Indiana voters are in favor of the tax as a way of getting people to stop smoking.

 

They say 70 percent favor the tax and 29 percent were against it. They say fewer people smoking means less money the state has to spend on smoking-related illness and health issues.

Raise it for Health chairman Brian Hannon says, “I mean this is an evidence-based solution. We’re not just promoting a cigarette tax to promote a cigarette tax. We know it drives down smoking rates, we know it keeps kids away from tobacco, and we know it raises significant new revenue that we can dedicate to other urgent public health programs.”

A bill regarding this proposal is expected to be introduced during this year’s legislative session.

Opponents are worried any kind of tax is a tough sell for voters.