Weather
New Tobacco Tax In Bethel Aims To Keep Kids From Lighting UpCity council raises taxes by $2.21 per packRelated Content
ANCHORAGE - Will raising the price of cigarettes help keep kids from smoking? The southwest Alaska community of Bethel seems to think so. On Wednesday the city council passed an ordinance to raise cigarette taxes by $2.21 per pack. Taxes on related products such as chewing tobacco will also jump by 45 percent. The new local tax is on top of the existing $2 statewide cigarette tax. It's all aimed at preventing a new generation of young adults from developing dangerous addictions. The city council member who proposed the ordinance, Eric Whitney, said the measure was met with a mixture of support and opposition from the community. Members of the healthcare community spoke out in favor of the ordinance, while those against the new tax said it was an unfair imposition against a small group engaging in an already-legal activity. In presenting the ordinance, Whitney cited research from the American Heart Association, which shows that expensive cigarettes discourage kids from picking up the habit. “It’s something that we can do to prevent the incidences of young people smoking,” Whitney said, arguing that if the new tax prevents teens from lighting up, they’ll “just avoid the whole thing about having them try to quit, or the health problems they'll develop later on.” “If you're raising the price of them, they're becoming more precious,” Whitney said. “So... whoever is buying them, they’re going to be looking after them, and hopefully it won't be going for kids.” Bethel was one of the first communities in Alaska to develop and pass a smoke-free workplace law. The community also has access to free smoking cessation and prevention programs through the local Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation. The new ordinance goes into effect in two months, allowing local merchants some time to prepare for the tax. When the tax begins, the price of a pack of cigarettes in Bethel will jump to nearly $11 a pack. |
This content requires the latest Adobe Flash Player and a browser with JavaScript enabled.
Click here for a free download of the latest Adobe Flash Player.
|
You have indicated this comment should be removed.
The comment has been submitted for review. Thank you .
Duwayne LeDoux said on Thursday, Dec 13 at 9:09 PM
what a joke..if you think they give one thought about kids smoking..why dont ya just say the truth..ya waant to make mo money...what a joke..make people think its for their health..get a life..
109170986xotika said on Friday, Dec 14 at 7:14 AM
If they are so worried about the health of kids then why not have Free Non or Stop Smoking Clinics..
109196115PodKiDo said on Friday, Dec 14 at 8:25 AM
@ xotika "The community also has access to free smoking cessation and prevention programs through the local Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation."
109201686PodKiDo said on Friday, Dec 14 at 8:29 AM
If a village or municipality can be dry, why can't it go smokeless?
109202045Anon said on Friday, Dec 14 at 10:16 AM
I started when cigs cost $2.29/pack in Anch. Initially, cigs taxed to prevent kids from buying, then its because of medical costs, looks like history repeating itself.
109211096Matt said on Friday, Dec 14 at 12:35 PM
I don't think that the kids care about the cost, they are proly spending there parents money anyways. I think that the rise is only hurting the parents wallet.
109224026DMC said on Friday, Dec 14 at 12:48 PM
Raising the price of cigarettes has been proven to have little to no effect on underage smoking. The biggest impact is putting money in local and state coffers.
109225042George Blair said on Friday, Dec 14 at 1:16 PM
Actually, increased prices have corresponded with the consistent decrease of smoking. It is time to stop this major health problem by discouraging smokers of all ages. The revenue generated should go to offset the cost that smokers cost all of us in higher hospitalization and health insurance costs. Smoking is the single most preventable cause of premature death and poor health in this country.
109227385bev said on Friday, Dec 14 at 5:26 PM
Initially that was what the increased state tobacco tax was for but they have since changed it. Now the money goes into the state coffers and only 8 percent is spent on building repair and maintenance... not cessation programs for the kids... Another lie that was put out there
109242125Add a comment
Most Popular