Fight to hike Oregon's tobacco tax resurfaces

Smokers paying higher taxes would help buy health insurance for low-income Oregonians under a plan being advanced by Gov. Kate Brown.

Brown is proposing tax increase of $2 a pack of cigarettes, currently taxed at $1.33.

Backers say the increase would price thousands out of smoking. It would save lives and lower health care costs for all.

According to projections by Tobacconomics, a tobacco-centric economic research firm, the tax hike could get 31,300 Oregonians to stop smoking. Of the Oregonians currently 17 or younger, 13,700 fewer might die premature smoking-caused deaths, according to the projection.

Read more: https://www.salemreporter.com/posts/466/fight-to-hike-oregons-tobacco-tax-resurfaces