A group of physicians, educators and business leaders in Missouri seeks to more than quadruple the state tax on cigarettes store products, saying it would further reduce smoking cigarettes and generate additional revenue for education and public health.
The Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City announced Tuesday that the coalition, led by the American Cancer Society, has submitted a ballot initiative with the state to raise the cigarette tax from the current 17 cents a pack to 97 cents. It would seek similar tax increases on other forms of cigarettes.
The group said the money would be earmarked for local public schools, higher education and for programs aimed at helping people avoid or quit using cigarettes.
“This funding would provide much-needed support for Missouri colleges and universities to train the future caregivers like nurses, doctors and dentists that Missouri’s aging population will soon need in greater numbers,” said Warren Erdman, a Kansas City Southern executive and chairman of the University of Missouri Board of Curators.
According to the group, Missouri has the nation’s lowest cheap cigarette online taxes, and about 9,500 people a year die from smoking cigarettes-related illnesses.
The Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City announced Tuesday that the coalition, led by the American Cancer Society, has submitted a ballot initiative with the state to raise the cigarette tax from the current 17 cents a pack to 97 cents. It would seek similar tax increases on other forms of cigarettes.
The group said the money would be earmarked for local public schools, higher education and for programs aimed at helping people avoid or quit using cigarettes.
“This funding would provide much-needed support for Missouri colleges and universities to train the future caregivers like nurses, doctors and dentists that Missouri’s aging population will soon need in greater numbers,” said Warren Erdman, a Kansas City Southern executive and chairman of the University of Missouri Board of Curators.
According to the group, Missouri has the nation’s lowest cheap cigarette online taxes, and about 9,500 people a year die from smoking cigarettes-related illnesses.
