Taxing tobacco users to improve worker health has reared its controversial head in bucolic Lafayette, Ind.

The city, home to Purdue University, calls itself "the place of choice for singles, families and retirees." But maybe not so much now the choice of smokers, who were the target of a city council ordinance approving a doubling of a tax on smokers to help pay for city-sponsored wellness programs.

As reported on the website of Lafayette TV station WLFI, council members agreed on a first reading (only) of legislation to tax city workers who smoke and funnel the cash into a wellness fund open to all covered city workers.

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Dan Cook

Dan Cook is a journalist and communications consultant based in Portland, OR. During his journalism career he has been a reporter and editor for a variety of media companies, including American Lawyer Media, BusinessWeek, Newhouse Newspapers, Knight-Ridder, Time Inc., and Reuters. He specializes in health care and insurance related coverage for BenefitsPRO.