Tobacco.org

EDITORIAL: Tobacco tax 

Preventing the disease, premature death and health care expenses that smoking cause is a worthwhile thing to do.

The down side of this tax increase is that it is so selective. Only about 9 percent of Utahns smoke, so passing an added tax burden to them is hardly equitable. Smokers also tend to be less well off financially, so piling on new tobacco tax also is regressive. Both of these are additional reasons to moderate the tax hike the House has passed.

If it causes smokers to kick the habit, though, the tax hike would be worth it.

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