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The latest on the Key Bridge collapse, New York puts forth legislation to get clean energy projects on the grid and Wisconsin and other states join a federal summer food program to help feed kids across the country.

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Republicans float conspiracy theories on the collapse of Baltimore's Key Bridge, South Carolina s congressional elections will use a map ruled unconstitutional, and the Senate schedules an impeachment trial for Homeland Secretary Myorkas.

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Historic wildfires could create housing and health issues for rural Texans, a Kentucky program helps prison parolees start a new life, and descendants of Nicodemus, Kansas celebrate the Black settlers who journeyed across the 1870s plains seeking self-governance.

New Years Day Important Milestone for the Health of South Dakotans

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Tuesday, January 2, 2007   

The South Dakota "campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids" says the one dollar per pack cigarette tax increase that became law Monday marks an important day in the health of South Dakotans. Jennifer Stalley with the South Dakota Tobacco-Free Kids Network says the increase means 11,000 children won't begin to use tobacco and that 5,000 more current South Dakota smokers will be motivated to quit.

"January 1 is traditionally a time of resolutions for folks. We see a large number of people who try to quit using tobacco, and the tax increase is just another motivator to help people stick with their resolution, move forward and successfully quit using tobacco."

Stalley thinks the tax increase is important because the state is among the highest nationally for pregnant women who smoke; with a rate at nearly double the national average. She says any activities pregnant woman engage in directly affect the baby.

"Anything we can do to reduce tobacco use among our pregnant women, and generally improve their health, is going to improve the health of that baby when it's born and hopefully reduce the costs associated with premature babies who are born to smoking mothers. But most importantly we want to make sure that child gets the best possible start he or she can."

According to Stalley, any legislation that would reverse the tax increase would run against the wishes of South Dakota voters who supported the tax by a two-thirds margin. She says there's strong statewide support, and that voters took the lead only after the legislature failed to act.

"The legislature had been asked to approve this tax on several occasions in the past, but didn't have the leadership on this issue that they should have. So the voters of South Dakota on November 7 said 'we're going to protect the health of our citizens and our children, and we're going to support this tax,' and I think that their vote should be respected."

Stalley says the tobacco tax will also generate substantial amounts of money for the State's tobacco prevention and cessation programs.


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