The tobacco tax increase proposal has failed. Opponents of Amendment 3, largely financed by big tobacco, have defeated it by about five percentage points. A spokesman for Missourians for a Healthy Future, which backed the tax increase, says the group is going to take some time to asses the situation but will not give up. The group will continue to try and convince legislators to set aside more money for smoking cessation.Ron Leone with the Missouri Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Stores Association believes Amendment 3 would have crippled his clients economically. He says about 25 percent of convenience store income comes from tobacco products.
