After all, it's not like they matter. And we're just doing it to help them quit, really.
Honest.
Even if there's no provision in the bill for raising the cigarette tax another $1.60 a pack to account for how the revenue estimates will be affected by the diminishing proportion of tobacco users who will continue to pay that part of the state's bills.
At this point, the state is making 75% of the retail price of a pack of cigarettes off every sale. Compared to an estimate 3% profit for Philip Morris.
I have to wonder who is the worst enabler, at this point, of tobacco addiction. Or the worst abuser of those addicted to it.
BTW, anyone who brings up the bullshit argument about how sin taxes are dedicated to specific purposes should look to the last paragraph in the article mentioning "sweeps," where the general fun is being augmented by taking monies out of other dedicated funding. No tax, IMNSHO, is ever anything but augmenting the general fund, either directly, or by allowing general fund monies to be used elsewhere, without actually providing for any increase in spending for the dedicated programs.