HONOLULU (AP) – Some lawmakers want to increase Hawaii’s tobacco tax to reduce smoking and oral tobacco use across the state.
The Senate Health Committee has endorsed a bill that would raise the excise tax on tobacco to 70 percent or $3.20 per product to
discourage its use.
According to Senate Health Chairman Josh Green, raising the state’s tobacco tax leads to reductions in tobacco use, particularly among children and young adults.
Gradual tax increases have led to dramatically lower smoking rates, but smokeless tobacco use hasn’t significantly declined.
The Health Committee recommendation notes that tobacco-related illness and death cost the state $640 million a year.
The Senate Ways and Means Committee will decide Friday whether to send the proposal to the full Senate.
(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
See the original article at: KHON2 Developing Stories
