SALT LAKE CITY (AP)--A pack of cigarettes would cost 50 cents more, under a tax increase proposed by a conservative lawmaker. Rep. Paul Ray, R-Clinton, wants to make smoking so expensive that fewer people can afford to light up. Under House Bill 355, the tax on cigarettes would increase to $1.19 a pack from 69 cents, a 72 percent increase. The average state cigarette tax is $1.11, according to Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. Utah would move to 22nd from 34th on the national list if the bill becomes law. But Ray said it will be a tough sell, even in a state where smoking is not popular and many consider it a violation of the Mormon religion. "We face a daunting task," he said.

The legislative session has passed the halfway point, and Ray's bill hadn't been assigned to a committee when he held a news conference Thursday.

The higher tax would bring in an estimated $21 million, which would go toward cancer screening and a medical scholarship program.

Ray said fiscal conservatives in the Legislature are opposed to tax increases of any kind, even if it's targeted at improving public health. To allay the concerns of his conservative colleagues, Ray pointed to polling that shows 81 percent of voters want a higher cigarette tax. Support jumps to 86 percent among Republicans.

The poll was sponsored by the American Heart Association and the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, which both support the higher cigarette tax.

The same polling shows voters are more likely to vote for a candidate who supports the tax, regardless of party.

"Voters of Utah are not inclined to punish lawmakers who support the cigarette tax," said Casey Hill, spokesman for Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.

If the tax is raised, health officials estimate a 9.3 percent decrease in youth smoking and a 2 percent drop among adults.