6A the university daily kansan
wednesday, february 4, 2004
news
New plan introduces cigarette tax
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Four former surgeons general unveiled a plan yesterday to reduce smoking that included a $2-per-pack tax they predicted would prompt at least 5 million smokers to quit.
They also called for a nationwide counseling and support line for smokers trying to quit, an idea that immediately was put into practice by Health and Human Services Secretary, Tommy Thompson.
Thompson said more than $25 million would be dedicated for the toll-free, national "quitline" that will be established by year's end. States also would receive additional funding to either supplement or create their own quitline services.
"The benefit of this network is that it provides a single access
The 10-point plan endorsed by the former surgeons general and other health advocates seeks additional tobacco research, better doctor training and an extensive media campaign explaining the dangers of smoking.
point for smokers so that every smoker can get the tools that he or she needs to stop smoking," Thompson said.
It also urges that the cigarette excise tax be raised from the current 39 cents to $2.39, of which 50 percent of the proceeds — or $14 billion — would go toward paying for the various aspects of the plan.
The 10-point plan also calls for federal officials to:
Encourage insurers to provide health coverage for smoking cessation treatment, such as counseling and drugs.
Initiate community-based programs in schools, workplaces and faith-based organizations to combat smoking.
Establish a uniform standard of tobacco dependence treatment among health care providers.
About 50 million Americans smoke, with many of them concentrated in poor neighborhoods where treatment is not widely available. Health officials have estimated that smoking causes about 440,000 premature deaths per year and costs the nation $75 billion in direct health care expenses.
"It is the equivalent of another 9-11 World Trade Center, Pentagon and Pennsylvania disaster occurring about every two days," said Julius Richmond, the nation's top public health official under President Carter from 1977 to 1981.
About three out of four smokers seek to quit, but fewer than five percent who quit for a day are able to sustain that for longer periods.
"If we act now, we can prevent tomorrow's cancer, emphysema and health disease," said David Satcher, who served as surgeon general under Presidents Clinton and George W. Bush from 1998-2002.
Jennifer Golisch, a spokeswoman for tobacco giant Philip Morris USA Inc., said that while the company supports government efforts to educate the public about smoking, a $2-per-pack excise tax could promote tax evasion.
"We are opposed to the proposed federal excise tax increases because cigarette excise taxes could have unintended consequences," she said. "For example, smokers may purchase from the Internet and Native American territories."
Deadly poison found; Senate halts business
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — A white powder found in the Senate Majority Leader's office tested yesterday as an "active" form of the deadly poison ricin, forcing cancellation of most Senate business in the second such scare from a lethal toxin to hit the capital.
Officials have found no evidence that anyone was significantly exposed to the poison enough "to make them sick, said John Eisold, Capitol physician.
Frist said that tests confirmed that the powder was ricin: "It is active, how active we don't know." He said he was confident
that everyone who was at risk has been identified.
Terrance Gainer, U.S. Capitol police chief, said everything that was in the 4th floor mailroom in the Dirksen Senate Office Building office had been seized, but that authorities have not yet analyzed all of the mail.
"It is a terrorist act," said Sessions, "because it was designed to terrorize people."
U. S. Sen. Jeffrey Sessions (R-Ala), a former federal prosecutor and state attorney general, said, "I don't think we need to overreact. We need to get these buildings open as soon as possible. Don't drag this thing out."
Suicide bombs kill 101 images caught on tape
The Associated Press
IRBIL, Iraq — A video camera captured images of a man shaking hands with a Kurdish official seconds before blowing himself up in one of the two suicide bombings during holiday celebrations. The death toll soared to 101, the U.S.-led coalition said yesterday.
Kurds blamed Ansar al-Islam, a militant group allegedly linked to al-Qaida, for the weekend attacks.
The video shows the suicide bomber mingling with hundreds of well-wishers greeting officials of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, or PUK, on Sunday, the first
Kimmitt also said there were an average of 23 engagements a day between U.S. soldiers and Iraqi insurgents over the past week, compared with 18 the week before.
The PUK video shows only the back of the bomber's head as he joined the line.
U. S. military officials said t101 people were killed in the two blasts, up from 67 deaths reported earlier.
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