States Consider Tobacco Tax Hikes

States Consider Tobacco Tax Hikes

Source Link: www.usatoday.com

More than a dozen states are considering higher tobacco taxes this year, most often to help millions of uninsured people get health coverage.

Four of the most closely watched proposals call for tax hikes of $1 per pack or more, an increase attained by only four states in the past. Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle wants a $1.25 increase. Iowa, Maine and Maryland are considering $1.

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Related News Links:
www.post-gazette.com
www.argusobserver.com
www.chron.com
desmoinesregister.com

Here as another quote from this article:

Industry officials say taxing tobacco to fund statewide initiatives is discriminatory. "It's asking one small minority group to fund a program to benefit the entire state," says Steve Kottak of R.J. Reynolds Tobacco. "Our view is, the smokers have paid enough."

Why should people who use tobacco have to carry a heavier tax load then people who don't use tobacco?

I believe that the government knew a long time ago that tobacco products were addicting, but due to all the lobbying money that politicians recieved from the tobacco inductry, they decided not to come out with this information.

Now the government wants these people, who are addicted to tobacco products, to pay more taxes on these products. I think the taxes on tabacco products is waaayyy too much already.

A pretty crappy way to make money. allow your citizens to become addicted to something, then keep raising the taxes on it.