September 25th, 2009

Reports the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:

Such smoking cessation and prevention programs are in jeopardy because of a 50 percent cut proposed in a state budget agreement. The proposal would raise the state tax on cigarettes by 25 cents a pack, but keep Pennsylvania as the only state that doesn’t levy an excise tax on smokeless and chewing tobacco, and one of two states that doesn’t impose a special state tax on cigars.

To Brian Primack, an assistant professor of medicine and pediatrics at the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Medicine, the state’s policy on tobacco taxes and health care is worthy of satire and a spot on the Web-based newspaper spoof, “The Onion.”

“Pennsylvania doesn’t tax chewing tobacco, but it taxes zoos and the Children’s Museum? It’s a joke,” said Primack, who is vice president of the Greater Pittsburgh Unit of the American Cancer Society.

The proposed 2009-10 budget agreement would impose the 6 percent sales tax on theater, dance, music and museums admissions; the tax is 7 percent in Allegheny County. The agreement would cut smoking cessation and prevention programs from $32 million to $16 million. Cigars and snuff, targeted for a state excise tax under Gov. Ed Rendell’s February budget, escaped any new tax.

Find out more at the Tribune-Review.