Single Largest Cigarette Tax To Kick In April 1

The medical costs of smoking are staggering. The burden they put on the health care industry effects us all. This is a step in the right direction:

President Obama signed a law early in his administration to raise taxes from 39 cents to $1.01 per pack of cigarettes and from 19.5 cents to 50 cents per pound for chewing tobacco.

This will cut smoking, stop people from starting to smoke in the first place, raise money through taxes, and help cut medical costs.

The tax increase is only the first move in a recharged anti-smoking campaign. Congress also is considering legislation to empower the Food and Drug Administration to regulate tobacco. That could lead to reformulated cigarettes. Obama, who has agonized over his own cigarette habit, said he would sign such a bill.

I wish anyone who is trying to stop smoking good luck. Maybe the money issue will be the tipping point in helping you quit. The new tax increase alone works out to be $226.30/year for pack-a-day smokers.

Source: AP/Yahoo