Nov.
initiative calls for new tobacco tax
By
Tabitha Burton
Online Forty-Niner
Contributing Writer
The
American Cancer Society (ACS) is gathering
signatures to place a proposition on the
November ballot in California that would
levy a new tax on tobacco. ACS expects
this new tax will help encourage people
to stop or cut back on smoking because
of the added cost to purchase tobacco products.
The Tobacco Tax Initiative will raise the tobacco tax by $2.60. In 1998 the
excise tax was the last time taxes were raised for tobacco products from 35
cents to 50 cents.
According to ACS, the revenue generated from the tax will be used to provide
for children who have no health insurance. Money will also be used for research
that is tobacco related and for hospital emergency rooms.
“
Tobacco [accounts for] 30 percent of cancer deaths,” said Jennifer
Horspool, director of marketing communications of the American Cancer Society.
ACS is looking for people who are already committed to collecting signatures.
ACS needs two volunteers from Cal State Long Beach to help collect signatures
for the tax.
ACS has about five weeks left to collect 1 million signatures for the November
ballot. If the tax is approved it will go into effect Jan. 1, 2007. The tax
is statewide and profits from it will be spread out across all of California.
ACS is also hoping the tax will encourage people to take better care of themselves.
Because tobacco causes major health problems, more tax dollars are used for
medical care.
“
You and I are paying for people who aren’t taking care of themselves,” Horspool
said.
To discourage tobacco use, ACS also reduces tobacco advertisements and helps
implement stronger FDA regulations.
ACS hopes especially to prevent youth from smoking. There are high school students
who have formed clubs on campuses to support the American Cancer Society and
to discourage tobacco use.
“
I don’t think that I smoke enough that it would really change too much,” said
Lindsay Fleischmann, a senior communications major. “I used to smoke
a pack a day, and I think back then when I did, it would definitely affect
the way I smoke.”
“
Well I don’t buy cigarettes very often so, no it wouldn’t discourage
me,” said Jaynee Ortel, an occasional smoker and junior at CSULB.
Horspool said students will have to decide if they want to spend their money
on a concert or a pack of cigarettes.
“
It will definitely encourage me to not buy cigarettes,” said Justin
Cruz, another occasional smoker and senior communication major. “That’s
like two Jumbo Jacks.”
For information on the American Cancer Society visit www.cancer.org or call
(800) ACS-2345. For information about volunteering call (949) 261-9446.
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