Given the sad economy, increasing South Carolina’s cigarette tax offers lawmakers the best opportunity to get their hands on a pot of new money next fiscal year. The Legislature should hike the measly 7-cent tax — the nation’s lowest — and use it to support health care for needy South Carolinians. Already, new cigarette tax proposals are emerging. State Superintendent of Education Jim Rex, a Democratic gubernatorial candid ... Jump to full article >>

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

The tobacco industry’s profits and taxes levied by the government in 2009 reached 513.11 billion yuan, 55.93 billion yuan more than 2008, or rising 12.2 percent, the State Tobacco Monopoly Bureau spokesman Zhang Xiulian said on Thursday in Beijing. Of the amount, 416.3 billion yuan belongs to taxes, rising 86.4 billion yuan over a year ago, or 26.2 percent on 2008, Zhang said. However, although the hike of tobacco taxation by the government ... Jump to full article >>

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Use of tobacco among adults in Bangladesh has increased to 43.3 percent this year, higher than the 37 percent of 2004, despite massive campaign and enactment of law, local media reported on Wednesday. The report, titled “The Global Adult Tobacco Survey Bangladesh Report-2009″ showed a total of 41.3 million people in the South Asian country are now in the habit of using tobacco — either in the form of smoking or chewing, said a r ... Jump to full article >>

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

How the restaurant and bar smoking ban will affect restaurant or tobacco revenues is unclear. Other states with similar bans say business falls off, then resumes without a haze. Prevention Partners say the Jan. 2, 2010 ban, and the state and federal tax hike in 2009 will keep an estimated 89,000 children a year from starting to smoke tobacco. Added to a state tobacco-free schools and hospitals law already in place, this new smoking ban prompted t ... Jump to full article >>

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Louisiana has ranked dead last 16 out of the 19 years the United Health Foundation has conducted its annual state health rankings. While it may not have been a cause to celebrate, Louisiana’s jump from 49 to 47 in the group’s 2009 report gave many a reason to hope. “A lot of things people thought were not possible in Louisiana are suddenly possible,” said Dr. Charlie Brown, chairman of the steering committee for the Louisiana Campaign for ... Jump to full article >>

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Writing this on the day of the Great American Smokeout, we want no confusion about our support for the Montana Clean Indoor Air Act. Along with willpower, help lines, support groups and nicotine patches, the statewide ban on smoking in enclosed public places is a key component in the box of tools designed to make tobacco use less common. It’s a worthy goal — the risks and costs to smokers, people around them and the health care system are ... Jump to full article >>

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!