I like the fact that they are trying to increase health care for children, but taxing cigarettes in an already struggling economy. Is that they right thing to do? I think that it should be a shared tax for everyone. Now think about how much a pack of cigarettes is going to cost with not only the federal increase, but those that are imposing them at state levels as well. People are not going to be able to afford to smoke. They will quit. That could be a good thing, but, have we thought about what that would do to the people employed in the tabacco industry. They will loose thier jobs. The economy is already struggling, and to add millions of more to that unemployment line is not making things better. I guess you wonder am I a smoker. No and don't care to be around it, but I do care about the jobs that it creates. You could add a tax to cell phone bills ($.50/mo) and generate enough funds to cover the cost of this program. Think about how many people have cell phones and the small monthly fee added to the bill wouldn't be noticed by many. I just think there are others ways of handling this.

Perhaps LaTunja can explain his/her desire for cigarettes to addict and kill millions more. Besides killing 440,0000 Americans each year (which is 50 times more deaths than are caused by all illegal drugs combined), cigarettes also impose about $40 billion annually on federal taxpayers (via Medicare, Medicaid, VA) to treat cigarette diseases. If cigarette taxes covered these costs, the federal cigarette tax would be $3/pack and state cigarette taxes would be another $3/pack. Nonsmokers should not be forced to continue subsizing the costs imposed by smoking in order to keep prices low so that even more people get addicted and die.

70% of the SCHIP funds in my state go to tobacco related diseases. Research also shows that if you raise the cost of cigarettes young people are much less likely to start.

What about taxing alcoholic beverages, energy drinks, cell phones, gas as well as cigarettes? Why not spread the responsibility of health care within the entire community rather than targeting one specific group of individuals?Raising taxes for several consumer products would produce more revenue for taxes and have communities contribute equally rather than one specific targeted group. Really, when the cost of a pack of cigarettes increased and taxes increased, show me where it made a difference in the community as a whole.

Where's the compassion? I don't smoke and don't think that it's a good thing for anybody but... the reality is that most smokers are addicted to tobacco. Addiction is a disease, not a moral failing. Do we really want a society built on the flaws of the human condition, such as addiction. Targeting people with addiction to carry an extra burden is just plain old stigmatizing discrimination. The real responsibility for tobacco addiction lies with all of us and especially the tobacco industry.

Tobacco products are the "Evil Empire" yet we can legally purchase these products at any supermarket, liquor store, gas station, convenient store, pharmacy (alongside the Nicotine Patch), etc. across the country and this evil product is taxed to finance health care initiatives. We are such a bunch of self-righteous, sanctimonious hypocrites.Whatever !!!

Am I the only person in this country that sees the HYPOCRICY in this? The entire health community demonizes tobacco yet will benefit greatly from the taxes for hospital and other health care; and for those who may not even need it!

This is very disappointing. Bill Godshall is very familiar with and aware of the arguments against his costs claim. See "Taxes, Costs, and the MSA" at Cantiloper.tripod.com and you'll see that, even according to medical journals, smokers were already subsidizing the health care costs of NONsmokers! - - - - Obama promised not to raise taxes on those earning less than 250k/year. The SCHIP tax increases the tax rate on one of the single poorest minority groups in the entire country, those who can't afford a pack of cigarettes and roll their own from loose tobacco, by over TWO THOUSAND PERCENT. - - - - That is a crime, pure and simple. - - - - Michael J. McFadden Author of "Dissecting Antismokers' Brains"

I like the idea of making drugs legal, taxing them about 100%, taking the resulting tax money and using it only for prevention and treatment (include tobacco and alcohol as they have an even worse effect on people than most pure street drugs). Addictions = public health problem not a criminal problem. The drugs would be pharmaceutically pure and needles clean. The epidemic of hepatitus and AIDS could be slowed. Drug lords could not make as much money. Our prisons would not be overcrowded and they could have programs instead of warehousing inmates. The down side of this solution is that any drug which is not criminalized (tobacco, alcohol) is easier to get by minors (more minors use tobacco and and alcohol than illegal drugs). I know many think that kids can get all the illegal drugs they want but this is not born out in research. We will have to deal with more drug addicted kids. Another down side is that the nation is already flooded with illegals; decriminalizing drugs would result in even more people coming here legally or illegally. These and many other problems are all interrelated and a comprehensive approach is needed, not a piecemeal one.

Fact: The federal cigarette tax was 8 cents in 1960. This was actually a tax rate of 30.8% of the average total retail price (26 cents/pack). Since $1.01/pack is clearly outrageous, let's set it to what it should be, (based on today's average of $4.50/pack): $1.39. Is that better? If the government illegalizes a substance, people get mad. If they allow it to be legal, but tax it, people get mad. Really what they want is a free ride. Tobacco, alcohol and other drugs are LUXURY ITEMS and are putting a burden on our already faltering health care system. Regardless of your opinion on whether these things are harmful, they are a lifestyle choice. Smokers need to stop victimizing themselves. If you CHOOSE to smoke cigarettes, you can afford to pay for it. I feel no pity for smokers who have to pay more taxes. That's like feeling sorry for people who drive Hummers because they have to pay more for gas. Boo hoo. This is America. You can have whatever you want, but you gotta pay for it.

What an interesting assortment of replies regarding increasing taxes on the single most addicting drug in our culture, and the drug that single handedly is the direct cause of more healthcare related expenses that all other drugs (including alcohol) combined. In fact, NIDA has estimated that the actual cost of tobacco to our society is $150 BILLION per year. Mr. Abbot would make ALL of us responsible for those who are addicted to nicotine. Nice spin.I bear absolutely NO responsibility for any addict, much less a nicotine addict. Lynn M. asks to be shown where taxing has ever made a difference. I'm guessing she hasn't been paying attention. We have experience in about 44 states with raising taxes on tobacco, and multiple studies as well, showing that for every 10 cents of price increase there is a corresponding 5% to 7% reduction in consumption. I've been treating addictive disorders for over thirty years and was very disappointed when Pres. Bush vetoed this bill. I'm not an Obama fan, but this is the right thing to do - on every level.

Yeah, increasing taxes on any product(I'm not a smoker), in a recession is a brilliant idea, make people stop buying goods so we all lose our jobs. Why didn't I think of that?

Dr. Gardin just below here claims "that for every 10 cents of price increase there is a corresponding 5% to 7% reduction in consumption." - - - - So in New York City, where the price increased by $3.35 in 2002/2003 we must have seen between a 150% and a 210% reduction in smoking... *IF* Dr. Gardin is telling the truth. Now I'm just a simple Brooklyn boy, but I don't know HOW you get more than 100% reduction in something, even using Antismoker math. Is it the same way that the 1998 smoking ban in California caused a 14% drop in lung cancer rates in 1996 there? That was what was claimed at the New York City ban hearings in the year 2000. Or is it the same sort of math that tells us that reducing smoke exposure by 90 or even 98% provides "no protection" to workers? And in terms of that $150 billion cost claim, anyone who wishes more accurate information on that can visit http://pasan.TheTruthIsALie.com and click on "Taxes, Costs, and the MSA", the last of the red-headlined items. - - - - I used to think I understood math... guess I'll just have to go back to school. - - - - Michael J. McFadden, Author of "Dissecting Antismokers' Brains"

Let me get this straight. Fund SCHIP with increased tax revenue. Increased tax revenue equals increased prices. Increased prices equals decreased consumption. Decreased consumption equals decreased tax revenues. Umm...

Decreased consumption would then lead to...wait for it...decreased health care costs...which is a good thing.

Nicotine addiction is a disease, and there is treatment available for those who suffer from it. If someone chooses not to treat their disease, but be victimized by it, then they will pay the price. After 29 years of teaching middle school students, I can definitely say that nothing makes more of an impression on them than figuring the economic costs of a tobacco addiction. When they see how their wallet would be affected, and their ability to purchase other things, they make their minds up not to smoke. I say keep raising the cost of smoking, and use some of this additional tax money to subsidize nicotine addiction treatment for those who would like to treat their disease.

Just another example of taxing the poor Without cigarettes, I guess we would all live forever and have no need for healthcare. Take away the money and the government would care less, it's not about people, it's about the money.

Okay... decreased consumption equals substantially decreased health care costs for the children covered by the expansion of SCHIP? Really? A decrease substantial enough to pay for the expansion? The point I am trying to make is that the logic doesn't work. Where is the money to pay for this program going to come from when tobacco tax revenues decrease to a point lower than they are today?

Dave wrote, "Decreased consumption would then lead to...wait for it...decreased health care costs...which is a good thing." Actually Dave, you're quite wrong, and you've shown that you didn't even bother to read the one substantive reference I supplied just a half dozen posts below this. According to the New England Journal of Medicine's analysis health care costs would INCREASE by about 10% if smoking were eliminated. Throw in the loss of close to 100 billion multiplied tax dollars, the costs of enforcement/incarceration for controlling smuggling and illegal sales/consumption etc, and the economic impact of lost jobs and you're talking about a rough DOUBLING of the federal income tax on middle America. Sounds appetizing when looked at in those terms, eh? Michael J. McFadden, Author of "Dissecting Antismokers' Brains"

It is pure Hypocrisy. Obama will be substantially raising the taxes of poor americans. It is the poor americans that make up most of the ranks of smokers. And will hit the poorist of those the hardest, with the HUGH increase to roll your own products. Will they used this money to fund aid to pay for cost involed in stop smoking - absolutely not. Clinton did the same thing, nothing went to help smokers quit. They don't want people to stop smoking. They just want to raise taxes on the poor without getting called out for it.

Wow! So Michael I read your " one substantive reference" from your web site. It appears you are looking at smokers DYING EARLY as a way of reducing health costs...beautiful. I can see your heart is in the right place for all those smokers and their familes.

Well Julian, resorting to the old had hominem strategy huh? This doesn't change the FACT that you can't use reduced health care costs as a reason to legislate tobacco use out of existence.

real intellegent stuff here,how about 47% of women who die from lung cancer never smoked, how about this contaminated air we breathe,look for the facts,they are there. when everyone quits smoking,we can tax obese people,after all they said americia is way obese and it causes health care to go up, hell living causes health care to go up. why don't doctors take less money?

I wonder what Obamah's addiction is? OH Please, everyone has a cruch, for some it's food, soft drinks,alcohol, caffine, legal perscription drugs, illegal drugs, smokes, pornography! There is not one person alive that does not have an addiction to something, so if whoever you are doesnt have some sort of additction to something, here's a stone, go ahead and cast it! FOOL! LOL get real!

Nothing but discrimiantion, let's have a Big Mac tax for the obese (Obesity ranks right up there as a number 1 killer) For the person who does not feel sorry for smokers, I am not asking you to, but when they target one group of people to fund a program that is pure DISCRIMINATION. I am only harming myself by smoking, I cannot smoke anywhere in public, I choose to smoke outside of my home. We never know how much time we have on this earth, my dad lived to be 91 years of age, and my son was only 20 when he passed. I figure I am in the middle, so leave me alone. Why not have an extra tax on candy bars while were at it, refined sugar is poison too. I did support Obama, but I am very dissapointed on the SCHIP passing, not that I am against programs, but like another poster stated, it should be funded by all the people, not a group of minorities, the $.50 extra cell phone tax sounds good, would most liekly raise more money too. That's my story and I am sticking to it!

I am a tobacco store retailer. I used my 401k and refinanced my house 7 years ago to start this business. I pay dearly for the health insurance I have, that doesn't cover a whole lot. Now I face losing my business, health care, possibly my home. I have no savings, nothing extra put aside as this is the 2nd federal increase that I will have to pay floor tax on and another time was a state increase. 3 times in less than 7 years. I don't promote smoking, I am just a comodity for those who chose to smoke. Which, by the way is legal if you are 18 or older. I fear we are being controlled the only way they know how, make us all broke and at the mercy of our government. Just an example: 16 oz. of Farmer's Gold make-your-own tobacco NOW $16.95 will be $49.95 on April 1st. Oh, and wait, isn't there health care in the stimulus program too? WOW, we won't have to worry about health care any more. HA-HA ! Maybe the pharmaceutical companies should fund it. All those commercials scaring us into going to see a Dr.

I am very disappointed in our new President. He's breaking promises already. I am not a smoker but I feel this bill is very unfair. Why make only smokers pay that extra tax? You ever see an extra tax put on alcohol? Look how many people are killed each year from drivers driving drunk! And how many millions of dollars are spent putting people through alcohol treatment time and time again. I just feel the tax should be shared by everyone. Let them people in Washington pay alittle extra tax on their alcohol. You'll NEVER see a bill signed for that! Pretty sad! The poor get poorer,the rich get richer. What's with this government?!

For Steven: I can and will afford to pay for my addiction - tobacco - but I WILL NOT pay for other people's children! Boo hoo! Can't afford to pay for your kid's health care, don't have any kids at all - or pay for their health care with taxes comming from your addiction! Whichever it is - junk food, video games, alcohool, whatever! Boo hoo!

Does anyone remember the "Boston tea party"? Taxation without representation. What about prohibition? Why are the smokers expected to pay for more and more? Also, the packs say MAY cause.... Remember, Doctors PRACTICE medicine. I still haven't heard the results of the last 40 or 50 year test on rediation levels that has been going on. A few years ago, there was an article in the local small town paper that mentionsed all the x-ray machines were undergoing the readiation levels were to be cut in HALF!!!! Do you realize that every american in the military has had a chest x-ray. How many times does a person go to the dentist. Raising the price will not stop kids smoking, they just steal it then. I don't smoke, but I believe in equal taxation, other wise next they might tax heavily someting I like to the point I can't afford it. SO Everyone, keep on smoking!

Obama screwed up BIG TIME! The majority of smokers are seniors or close. Smoking is more prevalent amongst seniors - What happened to that promise? The SG made it clear that smoking MAY be hazardous to your health. Many have taken that to heart and are non - smokers. This is a good thing.The rich and the young have all the money. I'm on Social Security and am BELOW the poverty level. My only 'luxury' SMOKING! I smoke - so what? Does the government have the right to force people to quit smoking? What about increased medical costs for 'non smoking' meds? How about the jobs lost in the tobacco industry? What about the crime it will create? (Black marketing, theft, muggings etc just for a cigarette.) The crime leads to time in prison,and the funds needed to run a prison and the increase of crime within the prisons? (cigarettes are often a bartering tool) Many people have chosen to 'roll their own'. A pound bag is going up over 100%. That's usury on behalf of the government. It is also discrimination. Like all past tax increases, the monies will NOT reach their intended. In the 'day' taxes were low or non existent - the economy flourished. SCHIP creates a vicious cycle.

I do't have a problem with anincrease in taxes on tobacco. I have even seen something recently saying the costliness of tobacco saves lives. However, I believe the same taxes ought to be levied on alcoholic beverages for identical reasons. Alcohol is, at the very least, an attractive nuisance. Alcohol directly or indirectly is a major cause of death and serious health problems which serve to raise health care costs. Even so, the dangers of alcohol use are marginalized by the same people who preach on the dangers of tobacco use. Drinkers are a health hazard. Therefore they should bear some of the cost of paying for the medical bills they cause as well as the cost of the judicial system needing to deal with the legal problems they routinely generate. It is simply another way of spreading the costs of these nuisance substances around in a fair way.

Which planet do you people live on? Kids smoke more now,then when I was in school in the 70's,are the only ones that can afford them.You people need to wake up, the more kids can't have the more they want,you must have forgotten when you were young?You believe in lies,you walk in such fear,you can't even see the truth.How many toxins are you breathing in the air each day,fumes etc. Where do you work?Chemicals & bugs are the cause of death,that you breath in everday,the smoker is the only one that knows,if they can't smoke they no they are in danger,if you don't smoke you can't tell.Number one allergen is fragrances,causes health problems,so just take a prescription drug(inhaler)the big companies how many people die each year due to their side effects? Funny,your tax dollars paid for the research,they doctor to their benefit lining their pockets and charging you big buck,double dipping & justifing death.You believe in so many lies,you don't even see the truth,they lie to line their own pockets in the name of what?I know people who lived to be 70,80,90,100 years old that have smoked regularly,you will be so lucky to live that long! Smoking is not the cause of cancer,people fears are!

Now it is time to create a FAT tax and tax anyone that is over weight. How about taxing drive throughs as fast food places?

It is now time to weigh everyone, and take into consideration an obsesity tax. Obesity is unhealthy and causes extra medical burdens on the community. How much do you think a tax like that produce?

YES! Let’s tax the fat people. They are a huge burden on health care and society; heart problems, breathing problems, diabetes, skin problems, bone and joint problems. They are poor employees because they can’t perform their jobs at the same level as healthy weight individuals. It is disgusting to be around them when it’s meal time. They are gross to look at. They smell bad. They spend all their time complaining about aches and pains while stuffing their mouths full of junk food. The only exercise they get is when they’re going to get more food. I’m not overweight so I don’t have to worry about paying the fat tax. It is so exciting to think about singling someone out to discriminate against because I’m not part of that fatty group. The best thing about the fat tax is that it would be enormously profitable…there are way more fat people than smokers.

We really need to do something about health care costs. I went to the hospital last year. I sat in the waiting room for 5 hours. Finally saw a doctor for 5 minutes. They took one x-ray, another 5 minutes. Then they couldn't figure out what was wrong and told me to go home and rest. One month later I had about $2,000 in bills in my mail box. That's $2000 for maybe 15 minutes of service. I like what one guy said when the doctor said his kidney had to come out. He was not sure if his kidney had to come out or the doctor had to make another yacht payment.

“I will tax the ‘rich’ and spread it around to the overworked & underappreciated middle class” Oh but on the way I will increase their cigarette tax, energy bills through cap and trade, cost of good due to increased corporate taxes and don’t forget that the fossil fuels are bad so when they have to drive to work I will make sure the cost of fuel goes up by not drilling at home (which by the way makes us dependent on foreign lands). Oh did I tell you 95% of all Americans will get a tax cut? I hope everyone that voted for change is enjoying the change you’re getting! The majority of cigarette smokers are low or middle class citizens.

Here's a novel idea: maybe the low and middle class citizens should quit smoking. Interesting, no? They save money, feel physically better and don't have to whine about being overtaxed.

Fine, I'll say what everybody is neglecting to say. It isn't smokers who are putting a burden on our healthcare system. It's the anchor babies of illegal immigrants, the welfare moms who have self entitlement mentalities, and the irresponsible. You're talking about free rides? What about the mothers who depend on Uncle Sam for everything from milk and bread to now their child's health care? Plain old TRASH. If you can't support a child, you have NO RIGHT to have one. Yet the rest of you people seem to have no problem with deferring the cost of some irresponsible, trashy individual's choice to have a child they can't afford (who regardless of free health care or not is most likely going to grow up trash and perpetuate the cycle of trash) on to some 3rd party individual (i.e. the smoker) with no connection to the group of people who are in need of being subsidized in the first place. How about "get a job" not "have a bunch of kids and expect me to pay for them"? p.s. the 80% of income taxes that the people in my 3% of earners is already paying is more than "paying my fair share" if you want to talk about equality.

this is wonderfull,next maby obama can line us smokers up ,tatoo numbers on us and put us in concentration camps for free labor. he dosent see the dicrimination factor to this. next people will be taxed for being white or fat.

i think this tobacco tax sucks I think they should put the tax on achchol look how many lives it takes on are highways every year tobacco is a slow killerit don't really hurt anybody except the people that use itand now there going to have to pay the taxs.

Well this is my first posting to a web page, so here goes. I am a smoker and I think that the tax on tobacco is wrong. The money is supposed to go to provide medical care for children, of which I have none, and watch how much of that money actually is used for that program and not for some road in rural America that we hope ten people will need. In many countries there is a social rule that you only have the number of children “you” can support, not that everyone supports for you. I think that helping to support other people’s children should be on voluntary basis, but with the economy the way it is now, you would have little or no money to fund the problem. I think that politicians should operate on the same level as applying for any other job. If you lie on your application, and campaign promises are the same as an application, then you get fired immediately if you are found out. I think that the federal government should stay out of private business, including mine, and run programs that benefit the nation not just a chosen few.

Why don't they increase the taxes of car driver's by 2200% like tobacco. It kills more people and pollutes the environment more than tobacco. The fact is that the revolutionary war started over tobacco and tea. I hope it works out as well this time too.

AndyinReno: You are so right...all these taxes on cigs.,hospitals, etc., will trickle down to us the middle class. I don't smoke, but to tax the hell out of everything is a tax on us...AND OBAMA CAMPAIGNED ON "NO NEW TAXES FOR THOSE EARNING LESS THAN $250,000. What is wrong here!!!!!!!!!!! Obama talks one story and acts on another. He is dangerous.

stop punishing smokers for having an addiction. We're already slowly killing our selves they gotta make us broke as well. there are gonna be alot of smokers that are gonna quit because of the drastic increase in price. So the government isn't gonna get as much money as they think. cig sales are gonna drop which means a loss in jobs for hard working americans. if the they want more money for S.C.H.I.P. they should legalize marijuana and tax the hell outta that.

WHat is going to happen when the high of cost of tobacco forces most smokers to quit, and then there is no more money to fund the SCHIP increase? Is it THEN that the tax burden will be shared with ALL AMERICANS? Bet the non smokers wont be too happy then.. And.. to all the non smokers in favor of this tax increase: Do you drink alcohol? Even occassionally? Just curious! Nicotine is an addiction, but did you know that alot of insurance companies DO NOT cover the cost of treatment?? Alcohol kills, it kills the person consuming it, and it kills innocent people. In fact, it is so bad, that M.A.D.D. was created and is a nationally recongnized program. Is their a M.A.C.S. program anywhere? (Mother Against Cigarette Smokers?) Again, just wondering..