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PA Legislature is Missing an Opportunity to Improve the Health of Pennsylvanians
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Michelle Zimmerman
American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
Phone: (888) 227-6446 Ext. 8601
E-mail: [email protected]
PA Legislature is Missing an Opportunity to Improve the Health of Pennsylvanians
Harrisburg, PA, December 3, 2015-This statement on Pennsylvania’s budget can be attributed to Diane Phillips, government relations director for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) on behalf of the American Heart Association, American Lung Association, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and ACS CAN.
“We fear that the Legislature is going to miss an opportunity to stand up for Pennsylvania’s children and against the interests of the tobacco industry. We are deeply disappointed that lawmakers are considering not raising the state’s cigarette tax by a significant amount and therefore are failing to take full advantage of the opportunity to help the people of Pennsylvania. We have been advocating for a $1.60 per pack increase as opposed to a phased in approach or a one-time 50 cent increase. Significant tax increases like $1.60 will save thousands of lives, raise millions of dollars for the state, and honor the wishes of the public, who overwhelmingly support a higher cigarette tax. It would truly be a win-win-win for Pennsylvania.
“We have seen other states, such as Louisiana, increase their cigarette tax by only 50 cents and the tobacco industry offset the health impact by immediately issuing 50 cent coupons. This is why we are calling on the Legislature to increase the cigarette tax by $1.60 per pack and establish a parallel tax on other tobacco products which will benefit the public health of Pennsylvania, keep youth from starting to use this deadly product and help those addicted, quit, as an alternative to expanding the sales tax on items consumed by the hard working families of our state.
We continue to urge the Legislature to increase the cigarette tax significantly.”
ACS CAN, the nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate of the American Cancer Society, supports evidence-based policy and legislative solutions designed to eliminate cancer as a major health problem. ACS CAN works to encourage elected officials and candidates to make cancer a top national priority. ACS CAN gives ordinary people extraordinary power to fight cancer with the training and tools they need to make their voices heard. For more information, visit www.fightcancer.org.
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