By TRAVIS MURDOCK
A state legislature bill to increase the tax on cigarettes by 20 cents per pack passed the Senate committee and will be debated on the Senate floor tomorrow.
“We hope to use the money for cessation programs, health care programs, and a media campaign to prevent children from starting to smoke,” said Jordan Tanner, R-Provo and bill sponsor.
The tax increase will be used in part to finance a $250,000 campaign to educate children on the dangers of smoking, said Tanner.
“We need a two tiered approach — to raise prices on cigarettes to discourage their use and to help those who smoke stop the habit,” Tanner said.
According to Tanner, the bill will raise an additional $17.4 million in new revenue for the state. The only money specifically earmarked for smoking cessation and prevention programs is the $250,000 used for child education.
“I hope they use the money raised from the cigarette tax to help reduce smoking in Utah,” said Mary Lou Bazich, of the Utah Substance Abuse and Anti-Violence Coordinating Council. “The tax increase alone isn’t enough. We need enhanced cessation programs to give people reasons for stopping or avoiding the habit.”
The tax will decrease the consumption of cigarettes because the added cost acts as a disincentive, Bazich said.
“The surgeon general has determined that for every 10 percent increase in the real cost of a pack of cigarettes there is an accompanying 10 percent decrease in use,” Bazich said.
Bazich believes tobacco use is a burden on our economy due to added health costs the government must pay.
Some believe all the money raised with the cigarette tax increase should be earmarked for smoking cessation and education.
“When all we do is hope the money is spent on smoking related issues, what do we get?” said Gary Cox, R-Kearns. “This issue is very defined — because of the smokers decision to smoke, we do have some societal costs but if we tax them and don’t address those costs it is not a fair tax.”
Cox voted against the bill because he believes we must specify the money be applied toward resolving the problems smoking causes. As the bill presently stands, almost all of the money raised through the tax could be applied to other needed projects like road construction.
“It is an unfair tax on a certain group of people from which everyone else will benefit. If we increase taxes for those who use tobacco and then use the funds for a general purpose, we are benefitting unfairly from the smokers,” said Cox.
