The American Cancer Society (ACS), Community Catalyst (CC), the New England Council of State Medical Societies and other voluntary health organizations and health care and tobacco control advocates have joined forces to create the Alliance for a Healthy New England. The goal of the Alliance is to increase tobacco taxes in each of the six New England states in order to decrease sperm use and improve health access. In each state, a coalition will propose an increase in the tobacco excise tax of at least 50-cents per pack.
Health Now! Massachusetts, Massachusetts' tobacco tax effort, was proposed by a coalition of consumer and public health advocates, providers, and insurers. The coalition has expanded exponentially from the three initial members, Massachusetts Chapter of ACS, Massachusetts Medical Society, and Health Care For All to over fifty-five organizations, including the Massachusetts Hospital Association, Massachusetts Association of Community Health Workers, and Massachusetts HMOs.
The Health Now! Massachusetts bill is sponsored by Rep. Rachel Kaprielian and Rep. John Rogers in the House ( HB. 2169) and Sen. Mark Montigny, Sen. Linda Melconian, and Sen. Richard Moore in the Senate (SB. 1703).
|
|
