http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051104/NEWS08/511040369/1001/NEWSIowa City, Ia. — Iowa lawmakers should raise the tax on tobacco to help keep college students from lighting up, student leaders said Thursday. Student government presidents at the University of Iowa, Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa told the Iowa Board of Regents on Thursday they will push the Legislature in 2006 for a tobacco tax increase as a way to keep young people from smoking.
"I think (the tax) should be at least $1," said Joe Murphy, UNI student body president.
The Legislature failed earlier this year to adopt a plan that would have increased the cigarette tax from 36 cents - one of the lowest in the country - to 72 cents per pack. The increase would have produced about $65 million a year in additional state revenue - money that could have been used for higher education.
But student leaders say their main concern is the health of Iowans. "If you increased the tax to $1, it's estimated 28,000 people would stop smoking," Murphy said. "It's a smart public financing and policy approach."
I totally agree with this. The government should do anything so people don't smoke. The way it is now smokers put a strain on an already poor health care system and the state has to fund that. The extra money is greatly needed and everyone knows that smoking is bad for your health.
When this was getting debated last year in the state legislator, my Republican state Senator, Larry McKibben, said smokers don't live as long as other people, so they shouldn't have to pay as much taxes. This is the worst reasoning that I have ever heard and the tax should increase just for that.
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