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State Sen. Rodney Tom, D-Bellevue, introduced legislation last Friday to reduce smoking rates by raising the state cigarette tax by $1. Tom described the bill as a critical public health measure. “We know that the medical cost of one pack of cigarettes is $8.47,” said Tom. “Smoking is a self-inflicted cost that we as a society can no longer continue to subsidize.”

In 2004, the last year that data was available, smoking accounted for an estimated $1.95 billion in health expenses in Washington. “The statistics around smoking speak for themselves,” said Tom. “Just this year, Washington had 7,600 smoking-related deaths.”

The state-run quit-line was closed down in recent years, leaving those wanting to quit with little help to do so. A small piece of revenue generated by the bill would be used to restore the service. “In this difficult economy, we should be leveraging our dollars where it counts the most – that means prevention.”