Pass the Buck: Pregnancy Care Providers Want WV to Up Tobacco Tax

Dan Heyman, Public News Service – WV April 29, 2016 CHARLESTON, W.Va. – West Virginia pregnancy-care providers want lawmakers to “pass the buck” by raising the state cigarette tax by $1 a pack.  With a big hole in the state budget, the $150 million more a year in tobacco revenue looks appealing. But doctors here also hope to reduce the … Read More

DHHR Launches New Initiative to Address Smoking While Pregnant

From the Charleston Gazette-Mail, “A new initiative to address West Virginia’s staggering smoking rates among pregnant women launched on Wednesday, and represents the first of its kind in the nation to focus on the problem, which plagues West Virginia more than any other state. …Karen Bowling, secretary of the state’s Department of Health and Human Resources, said the purpose of … Read More

Research Finds Smoking As Risky As Alcohol, Drugs During Pregnancy

From The Charleston Gazette: “Getting pregnant women to stop smoking is just as important as getting them to stop using alcohol and illicit drugs, a researcher and psychologist told health-care providers Friday morning. Beth Bailey, a psychologist who serves as program director for the Tennessee Intervention for Pregnant Smokers, said doctors sometimes tend to prioritize having pregnant women stop using … Read More