I-185 Will Save Lives

As a retired ICU physician, I know the end-stage consequences of

tobacco use: heart disease, stroke, vascular disease, dementia, COPD,

emphysema and cancers – not just lung cancer, but also throat,

stomach, pancreatic, colon, liver, kidney and bladder cancers, to

name a few. It was difficult to repeatedly see these horrible

diseases, and their devastating consequences on patients and their

families.

Initiative 185 will place higher taxes on tobacco and vaping products.

Hopefully, this will discourage their use. In addition, the revenue

generated will be directed to multiple health services including

tobacco use prevention and cessation programs, expanded services to

veterans such as suicide prevention and nursing home care, need-based

prescription medication assistance, long-term care allowing seniors

and the disabled to remain in their homes and prevention of cuts to

the current Medicaid program. All of the above will save lives and

improve the quality of life for Montanans.

I urge you to vote YES on I-185.