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I-185 would raise tobacco tax to expand Medicaid coverage
Montana smokers could be on the hook for an additional $2 per pack if ballot initiative Initiative 185 passes. The tobacco industry is shelling out big bucks in hopes it won't happen.
It's a big reason your mailbox is stuffed this election season with flyers arguing its pros and cons.
The initiative's backers see its passage as a "win-win." Higher taxes for tobacco products could discourage their use and perhaps reduce medical problems they cause. The extra money raised would help expand Medicaid, the state-federal program that provides medical care to poorer Montanans.
Without the initiative...
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