Students urge lawmakers to raise tobacco tax

Anti-smoking programs paid for by settlement funds put on a showJump to full article: Honolulu Advertiser, 2009-02-28Author: Suzanne RoigPosted By: Cigs By Mail .com – The Discount cigarette store offering Free Shipping…

Intro:
Chanting anti-tobacco slogans and listening to slam poetry, a group of 150 students from around the state gathered at the state Capitol yesterday lobbying for higher taxes on tobacco products.

"Other tobacco products have to go," they chanted, referring to chewing tobacco and other non-cigarette products. "Youth speaks," they said.
As lawmakers were poised yesterday to discuss several measures that would affect the tobacco settlement yesterday -- a critical source of funds for their anti-smoking programs -- the students wanted to remind lawmakers that they shouldn't be tempted to tap into anti-smoking funds to balance the budget, or they'd risk affecting the success of anti-smoking campaigns.

"We're here today because they are talking about raiding the funds and it will affect many of our programs in the Kalihi area," said Lavelle Ramos-Dias, a Kokua Kalihi Valley health educator. "The fund is for us. If they raid it, it won't be there."

Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona praised their efforts to get the message out.
"You have made some significant gains in the (lower) number of smokers in the last seven years," Aiona told the gathering. "The fight is not over."
Aiona proclaimed yesterday as Kick Butts Day