Raise tobacco tax to reduce use of cigarettes

I pick up trash in the neighborhood to keep our community looking clean. Recently, I have noticed a preponderance of littered Swisher cigarillos, which seem to be popular among people who litter.

I called the company and asked if they would make a goodwill donation to our Operation Brightside fund in recognition of the fact that their product often ends up being littered. Their marketing department scorned and argued with me, which I am not surprised about, but I am mad that companies get by so cheaply with littering our communities and our bodies with hazardous products! I wish we had a greater tax on cigarette products, which are so harmful to our bodies and litter our communities also.

The tobacco tax in Missouri is the lowest cigarette tax in the nation at only 17 cents per pack, making it very affordable, even to teens, at around $4-$4.50 per pack. It is well-known that the tax on cigarettes when applied appropriately results in a decreased usage of that harmful product.

New York has a large tax on cigarettes, which results in a pack of cigarettes costing over $12. New York also has a much lower smoking start rate and greater quit rate due to the increased price of cigarettes. I also imagine they have less of a problem with littered cigarette packs due to their decreased cigarette usage.

As a Missouri parent of a young man who was tempted to start smoking as a teenager, I find it very frustrating that Missouri continues to make cigarettes so affordable for teens. We need to raise the cigarette tax in Missouri in order to keep our lungs and our streets cleaner.

Source: http://www.stltoday.com