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Tobacco tax could fund health care programs

The San Diego Organizing Project is spearheading the signature-gathering efforts for a statewide initiative that would tax tobacco to fund health care programs. KPBS Reporter Ed Joyce has more.

The San Diego Organizing Project is spearheading the signature-gathering efforts for a statewide initiative that would tax tobacco to fund health care programs. KPBS Reporter Ed Joyce has more.

The initiative seeks to add a two-dollar-and-60-cent tax to a pack of cigarettes. The funds would provide emergency room care, disease prevention, anti-smoking
efforts and affordable health insurance coverage for children.

Group spokesman Martin Akinfosile:

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Akinfosile: Our long term goal is to have every child under 18 insured and we're looking to really build a fund that will have that ability for children to have health care.

He says the group's goal is to collect 10,000 signatures in San Diego County.
Nearly 600,000 signatures are required statewide to qualify for the November
ballot. Ed Joyce, KPBS News.