Bill Seeks Cigarette Tax Increase

• {Charleston, West Virginia}...A bill, sponsored by Senators Roman Prezioso, Dan Foster and Ron Stollings, was introduced in the West Virginia Senate Tuesday to raise the cigarette tax by $1 to $1.55 per pack and place an excise tax on the sale of tobacco products at a rate of 50 percent of the wholesale price of each item sold. The bill, which would take effect July 1, 2012, would put half of the money collected up to $60 million into a new state treasury account called the West Virginia Healthy Future Fund. The bill calls for $27 million for implementation of a comprehensive tobacco prevention and cessation program through the Department of Health and Human Services. Any additional money in the West Virginia Healthy Future Fund will be used for appropriations by the legislature for public health, substance abuse programs or general health care. Other funds will go into general revenue.