Cigarette Tax Hike and Tobacco Use

Every year, it seems, the Idaho Legislature is faced with a smoldering question: should the state cigarette tax be raised? There has been a push again this year by health organizations and other groups to raise the tax on smokes sold in Idaho by another $1.25. And, if you believe Idaho Medical Association CEO Susie Pouliot, almost three-quarters of Idaho voters support that. The current Idaho cigarette tax is 57 cents a pack, the lowest in the region. In addition to the survey showing broad public support, advocates are armed with other statistical claims, among them: n A recent study indicates tobacco use costs Idaho more than $300 million a year in health care-related costs. n Increasing the cost of cigarettes will prevent 12,500 Idaho youth from taking up smoking.

Tobacco Sales to Minors Doubled in Seattle

It is a lot easier for underage teens to buy cigarettes in Seattle than it was last year, according to the King County Health Department. The department said Thursday that tobacco sales to minors doubled from 2010 to 2011. "Which is troubling because 90 percent of smokers become addicted before they're 19 years of age," said Scott Neal, tobacco prevention program manager. He said their inspections revealed that underage teens can buy discount Camel cigarettes 15 percent of the time in Seattle, compared to seven percent of the time last year. They conducted 468 retailer inspections in 2011. Teens were sent into 63 different establishments with their valid, underage ID's. "And they simply ask for the product like they would be purchasing it normally, and it's a valid test for a retailer to find out if they're carding the kids and turning them away," Neal said. The teens were sold tobacco a total of 70 times.

Louth Hospital to be a Tobacco-Free

NIPPING 'OUTSIDE for a smoke' will be stamped out at Louth County Hospital at the end of the month when the HSE launch their ' Tobacco Free Campus' campaign. From 22nd February, National No Smoking Day, the hospitals within the Louth Meath Hospital Group, which include Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda, and Louth County Hospital in Dundalk will become smoke free campuses . The HSE last week published full details on the campaign, which will lead to 'no smoking' signs applying across the hospital grounds and campus.