Our state lawmakers will soon have to make incredibly difficult decisions to address Florida’s unprecedented budget crisis. In times like these, funding for critical services like health care may face drastic reductions. Important legislation that would close the notorious “Non-Participating Manufacturers loophole” in Florida’s tobacco policy would help remedy our budget shortfall. The 1997 Florida Tobacco Settlement Agre ... Jump to full article >>

OTTAWA – Today Megan Leslie, New Democrat Critic for Health, announced the introduction of legislation, An Act to amend the Tobacco Act (smokeless tobacco and little cigars). Leslie was joined at the launch of her bill by members of Flavour… GONE! a youth-driven advocacy group that was instrumental in the passage of bill C-32 that banned flavoured cigarillos and received royal assent in October 2009. “Bill C-32 was supposed to have banned ... Jump to full article >>

A tobacco tax loophole in President Barack Obama’s children’s health insurance program cost the government more than $250 million in its first year, public health officials say. The loophole allowed companies to avoid huge tax increases on loose rolling tobacco by relabeling their product as pipe tobacco. The simple marketing twist lets companies pay $2.83 per pound, rather than the $24.78 per pound levied on rolling tobacco. That pr ... Jump to full article >>