Sanders questions why cigarettes continue to be legal

Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders questioned whether cigarettes should be legal on Sunday.

“Cigarettes are causing cancer, obviously, and a dozen other diseases,” he said on NBC’s “Meet The Press.”

{mosads}”And there is almost the question as to why it remains a legal product in this country.”

Sanders also slammed a proposed soda tax in Philadelphia that would help pay for pre-kindergarten programs. The proposal is backed by rival Hillary Clinton, and his criticism came days ahead of the Pennsylvania primary.

The Vermont senator called it a “regressive tax” and said he doesn’t think someone who is making $20,000 a year should have to pay 30 cents more for a bottle of soda. Instead, he suggested the mayor raise the money for universal pre-K in a “way that’s progressive.”

But when “Meet The Press” host Chuck Todd noted that if Sanders is against the tax on soda, he must also be against a tax on cigarettes, Sanders rejected the claim.

“No, I’m not,” he said. “There’s a difference between cigarettes and soda.”