Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, February 8, 1994                   TAG: 9402080153
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: 4   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: The Washington Post
DATELINE: PALO ALTO, CALIF.                                LENGTH: Medium

KOOP SEEKS TAXES ON GUNS AND CIGARETTES

Koop, who has been an outspoken proponent of health care reform, has been working with First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton to arrange meetings between the first lady and influential doctors' groups. But at a conference at Stanford University last month, Koop said he remained "neutral" on the Clinton plan and has not endorsed it or is not selling it. He warned that the Clinton plan and competing proposals in Congress do not go far enough in combating smoking, drinking and violence, the leading preventable public health problems and major contributors to health care costs.

"Already the best intent of health care reform is being sacrificed to special interest groups," said Koop. He called the Clinton proposal to raise the federal cigarette excise tax by 75 cents a pack - up from the current 24 cents to a total of 99 cents - a "bargain" compared to the $2 a pack tax increase that the president once considered.

Studies show that higher excise taxes would prod some smokers to cut down on cigarette consumption and other people not to start in the first place. Koop said that a $2 per pack tax increase would result in dramatic short-term gains, leading about 7.6 million Americans to not smoke. "No other single aspect (of health care reform) could make such remarkable claims," said Koop.

Koop advocated increased taxes on beer, wine and liquor, which were not included in the Clinton plan, as well as new taxes on ammunition, handguns and those who sell them.