New York has it right! Tax those who cause others to have health problems. The FDA needs to get off their collective backsides and make tobacco a controlled substance. Cigarette smoking causes over 400,000 deaths each year, over 20 times as many as all of the prescription drugs and controlled substance deaths combined. Until then, states need to tax smokes out of existence. Help pay for the healthcare costs these nicotine addicts cause.

keep smoking cancer is on the way

We need more smokers and drinkers, they pay about 10% of taxes collected by the American government and America is over crowded we need more people dieing! Get on the bandwagon

Smoking reduces health care costs.  The most expensive health care costs are the infirmities of aging.  Smokers tend to die of heart disease in their 60's or lung disease in their 70's.  If not for smokers Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security would have long since gone bankrupt.

The truth about smoking isn't news and it isn't a secret.  It is well known.  The people who claim that smoking increases health care costs are deliberately lying.

I think we should stop selling toxic cigarettes that hook our kids & God forbid that will ever happen cuz it's all about the $$$$$$$$$ & Greed...stop making them & no more TAXES, again about the $$$$$$$$$$$!!!

Get rid of smokers then you will really pay a high price for life!!  And....besides who would you blame stuff on?

I have no problem weather smokes are available or not. I'm just sick of reading all the posts everywhere about how smoking is costing other people so much money. If you stop and think about this. if smoking became non existent where would all the extra tax money come from. how about when you go to the store you are charged $1.00 extra for that gallon of milk, or we just raise the gas prices by another $2.00 in tax. Smoking brings in alot of tax money and it already has been proven that it only hurts the smoker. Pretty much everywhere i go you can not smoke in any businesses except bars and that is coming to a stop. I understand that alot of people dont like smoke or people smoking but last time i checked this was America and we were still allowed to make our own choices. I dont tell you not to go to the bar and drink because you might kill my kid on the way home because you had 1 to many beers or you are not allowed to have a fire in your backyard because you live by me and the spark might burn down my house. There are many many more things around that are worse then smoking. Let people smoke. if you dont like it move away or ask them to move away from you. but stop thinking that smoking is costing America. If you really think about it, it is really giving America alot of taxes. take that away and then something else will have to be taxed to make up the difference.

That was the best comment I have heard in a long-long time, way to go Jason2403135.

Exactly!!

I have a feeling you're correct.  I am in disgust of the way American politics and education run now.

Too many idiots and criminals having children and watering down the society of America.

Can't stand the right wing and can't stand the stupidity of average people in the USA.  It's all watered down now.

As for myself and others like me that will be dying early, just think, more jobs and un-spent money that is left over.

For those people who say ban cigarettes... we can't let the government have that kind of control just because something isn't good for us. That is ridiculous. The appropriate measure is to make sure the public is informed and warned and let us make our own decisions. That is what freedom is all about!!! Although a kind of funny way to look at it, Bob makes a valid point. Moreover, should we ban sugar, caffeine or fast food because of the insurance costs of curing heart disease, diabetes, etc? We shouldn't let tobacco companies practice deceptive advertising or make false claims and we should probably make them contribute more to health care costs, but to ban them is downright un-American! As far as the argument about the kids; raise your children right and the government won't have to do it for you. Or maybe you are one of those who want to burn some books so the kiddies aren't corrupted? Sorry, maybe a little extreme rant there, but I'm tired of hearing the kid excuse which tries to makes the rest of us live in a bubble. Oh, and yes I have kids. Taxing them more is fine, but don't ban them. It is a very bad habit and one that for me was almost impossible to kick. The only way I could do it was with one of those Teslair electronic cigarettes and more to the point of the article, the high taxes in New York actually got me to switch to them. Anyway, I knew the warnings and so do other people when they start, so it's my own fault. Also, some people may want to die younger and keep smoking they enjoy it so much. Let them and let freedom ring!

Yes, its true we smokers pay for more than our share of taxes. If the non-smokers were serious about second hand smoke they would support legislation that would offer free smoking patches, gum, etc.. Why not? We offer free health care to illegal aliens. This allows small businesses, landscapers, restaurants, manufactures, etc. to employ illegals on the one hand and escape paying higher taxes on the other. While state and federal governments look the other way, their constituencies are forced to pay exorbitant taxes to subsidize illegals for services in our hospitals, schools, and prison systems. And why aren't there higher taxes on sugar, candy, liquor products? These cause obesity, diabetes, blindness and heart disease, etc.. I suppose the restaurant. liquor, and food industry lobby is largely behind this play. Really, cigarette taxes have little to do with your or my health. A recent survey of 847 voters showed a 60 percent support of tobacco tax increase. This same group showed a 72 percent opposition to state sales tax increases and a 80 percent rejection of higher gasoline taxes. So it looks like we smokers are picking the tab for the other guy again. This astronomical tax increase is just another way for states to force their $9 billion boon doggle down our throats. But don't worry they're coming to your neighborhood soon.

Just a few points to consider in our democracy -

~ Smokers can smoke, however nobody's "rights" supersede another. If your "right" to smoke tramples on the rights of others that's abuse and it's wrong. Also, second-hand smoke is very harmful. You don't have to believe it but your only fooling yourself. I see it everyday in my work (diagnostic pathology). When I've had students on autopsy tours and show them cancerous lungs I'm fully aware of the fact that a certain number of them smoke. I don't bother telling them not to smoke I just show them what the risk results in. By the way global warming is not a hoax, again you don't have to believe it but you are only fooling yourself. Do a little research and check out the ice floes that polar bears used to hunt from, or the permafrost in Alaska that is now thawed and ruining the roads and homes of folks up there. Some people unfortunately will not believe things unless it directly affects them and then it's too late...whatever.

~ Also, what do you expect the medical and scientific communities to do? It is a matter of public health, that's right public health. Pointing this out and taking action are the responsible things to do. Doing nothing, ignoring it (put your head in the sand) is a disservice to the public. Whether people have death wishes or not is not germaine to all of this. Euthanasia is illegal (in most places) so when someone says they have the right to die off sooner than others what the heck is the difference. And again, maybe I shouldn't care what someone else wants to do, but taking others with you is slow murder.

~ Not quite sure I understand the reference to smoking and winning the war (WWII). As far as I know the Japanese and Germans smoked too, so what. Maybe we'd have won the war sooner if our troops smoked less (who knows). Not seeing the relevance here.

~And if you think that smoking is important because it provides a tax base. I'd suggest a little economic re-thinking. Consider the number or work hours lost every year by smokers, and it's not because they've all got cancer (today). But, their overall health is compromised, they plainly get sick more...colds, flu, you name it. When you smoke, you compromise your immune system, it's weaker and you're sick more often. This is a huge economic burden. Also, less smokers means less illness and less healthcare - you do the math.

~And all the veiled slams to Obama about communism, socialism etc., are really tired and baseless. Is Obama perfect...off course not, no one is. Give the guy a break, he's far from communist or socialist. He's no more socialist than the local fire department or public library. Think about it, maybe those things should go away too because they are supported by tax dollars for the overall safety and good of the public. Secondly, the closest thing I've ever seen to communism, or maybe fascism, was when Dubya running for his second term did not allow protesters in or near a rally of his. This was a blatant violation of free speech and right to assemble. But that's ok for the conservatives because it was Bush.

~Lastly, it seems people like myself will always support others that disagree with me, because that's a right in this country. I'm only saddened by the fact that folks on the other side are loathe to grant the same privelege.

Re: Rights in our Democracy -

~Smokers can smoke, if someone's "rights" trample another's that's wrong. You don't have to believe 2nd hand smoke is harmful, but you're fooling yourself. I see it everyday in my work (diagnostic pathology). When students come through for autopsy tours and look at cancerous smoker's lungs I'm fully aware that some of them smoke. I don't bother telling them not to smoke, I just point out the risk and result.

~What do people expect the medical and scientific communities to do, ignore the fact that smoking is a public health issue? Yes, public health, it would be irresponsible and a disservice to the public to not point this out to people and try to do something about it. It surely is your right to slowly kill yourself by smoking, but taking others with you is slow murder.

~Consider the economic burden of smoking. Think about how many work hours are lost each year due to smokers and sick time. It adds up to a lot. Smokers are sick more often, their immune systems are compromised and this is drain on the workforce. It's pretty sad to think that folks believe our health and tax systems are supported by people indulging in a habit that kills them off. By the way that's a major problem for tobacco companies as they kill off their customers. Also, consider how little healthcare would be needed if less people smoked. The savings would be astronomical.

~The veiled reference to Obama as a communist or a socialist are really tired and baseless. He's no more a communist or socialist than your local fire department or public library. Should we take those things away because they are supported by tax dollars and serve the greater public safety and good? The closest thing I've ever seen to communism or fascism in this country was a Dubya rally in which protesters were not allowed to enter or be near the site. This was a blatant violation of freedom of speech and right to assemble but that's ok because it was sanctioned by the flag waving, freedom loving conservatives.

I realize that giving up smoking is very difficult. But do not delude yourselves that it's not harmful, it is to yourself and others. By the way global warming is real, choose not to believe if you like, but again you are only fooling yourself. Check out the polar bears that no longer have ice floes to hunt from or the Alaskans that have ruined homes and highways because of thawing permafrost. Unfortunately some people don't care or will not believe things until it affects them and then it's too late.

It is a FACT that smokers actually cost society less money than non smokers. The harsh reality is and as morbid as it may sound smokers die sooner. When you put this in the equation of the costs involved in treating smokers they drop dramatically. When 400,000 people a year die sooner than the average person think of the amount of Social Security and health care that is not spent on these individuals. Your talking about an awful lot of money. A whole lot more than was spent on these individuals when they were alive. We can debate the issues of quality of life ect ect but if were just talking about dollars and cents their is no debate. I think the people just want the truth and not the government always trying to save us from ourselves.