- Target:
- the Iowa Legislature and Governor
- Region:
- United States of America
This petition is now closed.
This increase is necessary to help decrease the tobacco usage rates in the state of Iowa.
Currently, 20% of Iowa’s youth use tobacco products on a regular basis. The American Cancer Society estimates that this rate could be reduced by up to approximately 20% by this increase.
Another reason for this increase is to offset the annual cost to the state through Iowa’s medicaid program.
Annually, the state’s medicaid program pays approximately $301 million dollars for the treatment of tobacco-related illnesses.
An increase to the tax should be put towards funding health care measures including tobacco prevention, cessation and control.
PLEASE SIGN THIS PETITION ONLY IF YOU ARE AN IOWA RESIDENT/HAVE AN ADDRESS IN IOWA.
A petition to encourage the members of the Iowa Legislature and the Governor
of the State of Iowa to increase the tobacco tax in Iowa by $1 during the 2007 session of the 82nd Iowa General Assembly.
WHEREAS, the current tobacco prevalance rate among Iowa's youth is 20%; and
WHEREAS, the American Cancer Society estimates that this rate will decrease
by 20% by a dollar increase to the tax; and
WHEREAS, the annual cost to the state's medicaid program is approximately $301 million dollars; and
WHEREAS, this cost to all taxpayers is unjust, and should be paid for by income collected through Iowa's tobacco tax; and
WHEREAS, an increase to this tax should be put towards the funding of health care measures, specifically including a comprehensive tobacco prevention, cessation and control program; and
WHEREAS, Iowa ranks 42nd in the nation for its current tobacco tax of 36
cents;
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THESE INDIVIDUALS, That we strongly
encourage our state legislators and governor to increase the tobacco tax by $1 to total $1.36 during the 2007 session of the 82nd Iowa General Assembly.
The Increase Iowa's Tobacco Tax by $1 petition to the Iowa Legislature and Governor was written by Just Eliminate Lies and is in the category Health at GoPetition.