During his speech at Wednesday's bill signing event for legislation making treatment options more affordable for Illinois residents battling cancer, Gov. Pat Quinn spoke of efforts to increase the prices for cigarettes yet again in Illinois.
"This is really the best stuff, public health and preventing bad things from happening," said Quinn. "We have more to come. We have to raise the price of cigarettes in Illinois. That's something we have got to work on."
His remarks were followed by loud applause from the crowd attending the bill signing ceremony.
Illinois' last cigarette tax hike was in 2009, and legislators have discussed an additional increase for the last couple years.
Tax hikes for cigarettes in Illinois and the city of Chicago have driven smokers into neighboring cities and states to purchase their packs, something affirmed in a recent University of Illinois-Chicago study.
"I think we know that when price goes up, a lot of young people just don't start smoking, and we can save a lot of lives and extend a lot of lives just by that one act," said Quinn Wednesday.
