KDSN RADIO News
Rob Sand says, as governor, he’s consider raising tobacco taxes
(Radio Iowa) Democrat Rob Sand says if he’s elected governor, he’d consider approving an increase in the state tax on cigarettes and other tobacco products.
Sand met with eight members of the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Action Network yesterday. The group supports increasing the state cigarette tax by $1.50 per pack. Sand said he’s not sure what amount is the right amount. “I want to learn more about that and try to find a level that we can put it at that’s going to help improve health care outcomes for Iowans,” Sand said, “and put us in a place where we also aren’t just sending everyone somewhere else to go get it instead.”
This past February Republican Governor Kim Reynolds recommended raising state taxes on tobacco products, including hiking the cigarette tax by 65 cents a pack, but the proposal stalled in the legislature. Sand said there is bipartisan support for some sort of tobacco tax hike. “This is an important part of, I think, reducing cancer rates and reducing health care costs and improving the state’s $1.3 billion annual budget deficit that we have right now,” Sand said.
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in Iowa and people who smoke are up to 30 times more likely to get lung cancer. The Iowa Smokefree Air Act took effect in mid-2008 and Sand said while he’d hear from those who support the exemption that still allows smoking on the gaming floors at Iowa casinos, he’s inclined to support making the casinos smoke-free. “I remember as a younger Iowan going to bars before and after,” Sand said, “and it was a major life improvement to be able to put my jacket on the next morning and not cough when I did it.”
The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network has scheduled a roundtable discussion in August with Zach Lahn, the Republican who’s running for governor.
