Doc wants higher-priced smokes - WALB.com, Albany News, Weather, Sports

Doc wants higher-priced smokes

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By Karen Cohilas - bio | email

ALBANY, GA (WALB) -  An Albany oncologist says smokers need to take responsibility for their increased health costs by paying higher taxes.

Phoebe Oncologist Dr. Jose Tongol sees lung cancer patients every day. His mother died from the disease, even though she did not smoke. He says taxpayers suffer too, spending $500 million a year to treat tobacco-related disease through medicaid.

Tongel wants the state legislature to bump up the cigarette tax by one buck per pack. He says that would raise money for the state and discourage smoking.

"Basically to prevent tobacco related illnesses, not only cancer, hypertension, diabetes, so many things even breast cancer and other cancers," said Tongol.

Georgia has one of the lowest taxes on cigarettes in the country at 37 cents per pack.

 

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