Attorney General says big tobacco blowing smoke on tobacco tax

Wednesday, October 20th 2004, 6:30 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Attorney General Drew Edmondson threw his support behind Oklahoma's proposed tobacco tax increase Wednesday and denounced a negative ad campaign being waged by big tobacco companies.

Edmondson said he strongly supports a tobacco tax increase on the November 2nd ballot. He said it would lead to a significant advance in public health.

A spokeswoman for Phillip Morris said the cigarette manufacturer believes tobacco tax increases are unfair to smokes and lead to unintended consequences, including the importation of illegal bootleg cigarettes.

The proposal would result in a 55-cent net increase in the state tax on a pack of cigarettes and increases taxes on other tobacco products to pay for state health programs.