by Anne S. on Tuesday, October 30, 2012
We have been working closely with Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle to support a $1 per pack increase in cigarette taxes she proposed in next year’s county budget. Last week, we supported the Board President at a press event explaining the benefits of the potential new increase cigarette tax. Consider these compelling projections from the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids on what a $1 per pack cigarette tax increase in Cook County would do to help residents’ health and to protect taxpayers from having to foot the bill to treat smoking-related diseases: 
Wow! This is a Win-Win for Cook County!
Right now, nearly three-fourths of the county's proposed budget is spent on public health care, and tobacco use is one of the main culprits, maintaining its position as the No. 1 cause of preventable death in Cook County. As cigarette taxes go up, smoking goes down -- and that's good for all of us!