Raising taxes on cigarettes will not affect teen smokers

By Darren Friedel, On-line Forty-Niner

July 9,1998

On June 17, in a typical Republican move, Senate Republicans killed a tobacco bill. However, in an untypical Republican move, Senate Republicans, by killing the tobacco bill, stopped a tax increase that would have affected mostly middle and lower class Americans.

The bill, designed to curb teen-age smoking, would have raised the price of cigarettes $1.10 a pack.

The Democrats, for some reason, believe that increasing the price of cigarettes will keep teen-agers from smoking.

Increasing the price of cigarettes is not going to keep teen-agers from smoking. Teens will find a way to get cigarettes even if they are illegal. It seems the Democrats have forgotten about rebellious adolescence.

Instead, increasing the price of cigarettes is going to hurt only middle and lower class Americans, the same people Democrats are supposed to be protecting.

"Our goal is to reduce teen smoking, not increase taxes," Newt Gingrich said in a statement after the vote.

Is this a kinder, gentler Republican Party? Probably not. However, Republicans opposed to the bill argue that it is not an anti-smoking measure but a tax increase that will affect low-income Americans.

A little more than a year ago the major tobacco companies and the attorneys general from 40 states signed a settlement. Under the settlement, the tobacco industry would have paid $368.5 billion over the next 25 years and agreed to restraints on tobacco advertising. The tobacco industry would then be given immunity from most lawsuits.

Congressional action was required before the settlement could go into effect.

In April, the bill's chance for approval seemed good when it came out of Senator John McCain's committee on a 19-to-1 bipartisan vote.

However, the tobacco companies realized the Senate was not going to protect them and quickly began a national advertising campaign.

Democrats blame the advertisements for the demise of the bill.

Instead of raising the price of cigarettes, the Democrats should fight teen-age smoking by using the tobacco companies own tactics.

Because there is no federal law, states can continue going after tobacco companies in court. The money won in court can be used to start aggressive advertising campaigns aimed at reducing teen-age smoking.

For example, Florida is using $200 million of an $11 billion settlement to start a campaign against underage smoking.

Instead of raising taxes on cigarettes, the Democrats should look toward increasing education about cigarettes.

Darren Friedel is the editor in chief of the Summer Forty-Niner.