To pay for the proposed children health program, the Democrats are turning to a familiar source: cigarettes. For the full story, click here The tax is needed to pay the $35 billion increase in children’s health coverage. This would increase the federal tax from 39 cents to $1 per pack. It is a good thing that this is an addictive product. The government is the largest beneficiary of tobacco sales after the tobacco companies themselves.
For smokers, this puts them in a unique position. Smoking is legal but their product is constantly used to raise revenues for the federal and state governments.