The Senate voted Friday to raise the legal age to purchase tobacco products from 18 to 21. The bill now heads to Gov. Ned Lamont, who has pledged to sign the measure.
smoking
Posted inHealth
Number of CT high schoolers vaping doubled over two years
The number of Connecticut high school students who used vaping products, such as e-cigarettes, doubled from 2015 to 2017, according to a new study released by the state Department of Public Health.
Posted inMoney
Report: ‘Sin’ taxes pose fiscal — not health — risks for states
Connecticut and most other states need to be cautious about their rapidly increasing reliance on cigarette and other volatile “sin” taxes, according to a new report from Pew Charitable Trusts.
Posted inHealth
The story in charts: Who still smokes?
Smoking is down significantly across the country, and the rate is even lower in Connecticut. But the overall picture masks significant disparities in who the remaining smokers are.
Posted inEducation, Health, Money, Politics
Democrats modify tax proposals, but business unimpressed
Democratic legislators are using a two-stage, 50-cent increase in cigarette taxes to lessen — but not to eliminate — controversial income and data processing tax hikes, with the goal of passing a $40.3 billion, two-year state budget plan on Tuesday. The state’s chief business lobby quickly decried the changes as woefully inadequate.
Posted inHealth
House says ‘no smoking’ means e-cigs, too
“No smoking” signs would apply to the use of electronic cigarettes under legislation passed Thursday night by the state House of Representatives and sent to the Senate.
Posted inHealth, Money
Anti-smoking forces say cigarette tax hike is a no-brainer
As legislators and Gov. Dannel P. Malloy grapple with the unpleasant prospect of raising taxes, anti-smoking forces insist state officials are overlooking the only tax hike that yields huge benefits – and almost no public backlash.