[perfTerm]

You can though. When someone says raising tobacco taxes will increase government coffers by X, they're effectively levying that tax primarily on lower and lower middle class families since those communities are more likely to smoke cigarettes.

[jokoon]

I'm left wing, to me smoking is bad, there is just no fucking excuse. People can smoke, but it's a luxury and it comes with a price.

What happens to heroin addicts when the regular dealer go to prison ? They stop using.

It's a shitty situation in every way. There is just no way you can defend a lower tax on cigaret, except maybe if you're anti government. People will choose to buy food and rent before buying cigarets. At least it will reduce their smoking habits.

It's not just about funding government, it's also about discouraging people from buying cigarets. I honestly don't see any other way. Prohibiting would not work, it's a matter of game theory and a fine balance between smuggling cigarets and people buying them.

And honestly the cigaret tax paid is nothing compared to other taxes.