I am anti smoking, so yes =)

No I wouldn't. They are already taxing us in different avenues for free health care. It's called Medicaid. Maybe we should tax the smokers more so we can hire someone to clean up there butts.

I'm all for helping kids so yes.

Even though I'm anti smoking - NO. It's not fair to any group (and smokers don't have a great union or other good representation) to tax them for something totally unrelated.

NO WAY! Will everyone stop trying to tax damn cigarettes already?! Tax something else like alcohol or something and leave those of us who choose to smoke alone!! I am sick and tired of everytime I go to buy a pack of cigarettes it is a few cents more expensive. I remember when cigarettes were $2.00! Now it's near $5.00 a pack. ENOUGH ALREADY!!

Why not tax booze for a change it causes problems also!

I would support such a tax on cigarettes,for they are a burden on the medical system anyways.Also the state lottery money should be used for socialized medicine.

Absolutely! Sorry smokers, but for the children, absolutely... I would also tax/raise taxes for the cigarette companies directly. They are nothing but murderers and spawn from hell. Production of hazardous materials tax Shipping of hazardous materials tax Dispersement of hazardous materials tax Dispersement of addictive substance tax Fraudulent marketing tax Dishonest labeling tax Working for the Devil-himself tax The list goes on and on... Now ask me how I really feel! Go ahead down-rate me, bring it... then bite me...

I will start out by saying that I don't condone tobacco use and that I am not a Republican. This question was posed on Bulls and Bears on Fox News Cannel a few weeks ago. (It may have been another financial show, but it WAS on FNC. CNBC doesn't have anything but paid programming during the weekends.) I disagree with this sin tax because: (1) Most states include underprivileged children in their Medicaid programs. (2) MOST SMOKERS ARE POOR! Taxes make cigarettes in NYC over $7 per pack. I don't smoke except maybe one cigar every few YEARS, but there are plenty of people who smoke a pack a day or more. Because of their smoking, they can't get affordable health insurance unless they're employed by a large company. (3) I believe that it should be an individual's right to do what they please as long as no one is harmed and/or there is consent. I don't give my consent to have to smell smoke in a restaurant, but I give that up when I go to a casino. I think people should have FREEDOM and CHOICE. I think people should have the right to eat a double cheeseburger if they're fat, to smoke if they realize it may very well kill them, to be with whomever they want to (as long as there's consent, again, and everyone involved is aware of the situation). I also think that it's important for ADULTS to have healthcare. I think that universal healthcare would be disastrous (think of how bad HMOs are... then think about how inefficient the DMV is... merge the two and cringe), but if we put litigation (malpractice) caps (THANKS A LOT, JOHN EDWARDS!) we could reduce the cost of health care. Doctors end up taking on 6-figure debt to get through med school and I think they should be compensated. The medical industry has gotten scary and I do believe that it is, for the most part a need. I don't think that Viagra for an 80-year-old is as important as cholesterol's medication for a 40-year-old who's still working. Sorry for the rant, but the short answer is: no, I would not support this tax.

no ! why just on smokes ? they pay enough taxes on them as it is ... how about on junk food instead that would bring in far more money for the project

Legalize pot and tax that and of course stop paying 25 grand to install a new bathroom in some senators office

Great. Now parents can pay for treating the lung disease they're giving their children.

As long as the money is spent on more effective ad campaigns than those silly truth ones which IMO aren't really working too well. All I can say is there's our government at work again, doing odd things which only make sense at a higher level of understanding.

I like it, in fact, I asked a similar question: http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/405654

Since I recently quit smoking, I would say yes, raise the tax on cigarettes for children's health care.

No. They have already done that in the state of Maine. The problem is, they say the money was suppose to be used for education, yet they are using the money for other things. Our government just has a habit of saying one thing and doing another. Until Americans stand up and put a stop to it, it will continue. Instead of creating more taxes, we should trying downsizing our government. I'll bet the president could type out his own memos instead of asking one of his 100 administrative assistants to do it.

No. I think that tobacco taxes have gotten completely out of hand, to the point of where the taxes have actually tripled the cost of cigarettes in a lot of places. When two-thirds of the cost of something is taxes, then you have a serious problem. However, tobacco is a popular thing to hate right now, so people just go along with it. Why not start increasing the taxes on alcohol? How about candy and soda pop? For that matter, why not increase the taxes on Congressmen's income? There's so many other things that can be taxed more to fund the healthcare, rather than concentrating all efforts on the tobacco industry.

No, taxes should always be tied to the issue. Smokers aren't anymore responsible for lack of health care then non-smokers.

This is the way I see it,and my opinion is not squat for laws pass everyday and I have no say so. How about raising the taxes on snacks and chips and pop and garbage these familys can afford to buy for their kids that are making them unhealthy,how can you affords all that trash but have no extra to afford when your own flesh in blood gets sick??? Right now you can buy cigarettes but where the heck do you smoke them??They are out lawed in resteraunts and beaches and most public places!! So how will that help??

And what happens as the number of smokers goes down because of the price? Will the Children's programs be reduced, or, as in countless cases, will the tax burden be passed to the general population? This is exactly how expensive and unsupportive tax programs begin. Take an unpopular group (smokers), pass tax laws because every one supports taxing evil smokers, then grow the program beyond the funding source. I support tax revenues going to tax education, but that would not be good for the politicians, ehhh........?

YES! But we really need total Universal Health Care, which would cost less than $4000 per capita. That number is the present cost per covered life of a well known union's benefit plan that covers 400,000 people.

The better way would be better money management. most people don't realize how much money is wasted by the government.

And just where in the Constitution does it give Congress or the Exectutive the power to fund healthcare for private citizens/residents of the States? (FYI, the Elastic Clause applies only to the Government's authority to administrate itself, the Federal territories, and DC.)

I'm not in favor of the "government" providing free healthcare in any form. Not that the healthcare system doesn't need some work -- it clearly needs an overhaul, but the primary responsibility lies with each individual. I'm sick and tired of 40% of my paycheck going to Uncle Sam, so he can bail out those citizens who weren't responsible enough to take care of themselves. Everyone in this country needs a major dose of personal responsibility!

I hate paying any tax that is meant to give to someone else who can get it on their own. If you can't afford kids, don't have them. If you do have kids, pay for your own health insurance, food, education, etc. I pay 100% for my daughter, and didn't decide to have kids until I knew we could afford them. Just because I work hard and make money doesn't mean I have to share with those who don't like to work.

No. I think something should be taxed that everyone (or at least most everyone) uses. I live in MI and the cigarettes here are very expensive since Granholm added more tax to them.

most children who don't have good health care is because their parents are idiots. i am 22 years old and have a full time job as well as my pregnant wife, we both have insurance and will get insurance for our kid, so why should i work harder or more often or pay more for anything for people who r here illegally or don't chose to work??? i don't smoke and i think smoking is sick but if you don't want anyone to smoke just ban it don't tax it until no one buys it.