Cigarette Taxing - the Effect on Our Society

Cigarette Taxing:

The Effect on our Society

Cigarette smoking is said to be the most over-practiced addiction in the world. So, why do people continue to use them? Well, there are many reasons as to why, some of which can not be answered, but one reason is because the tax on cigarettes are too low and are still affordable for people to buy. Taxing cigarette's would not only increase the prices to an extreme level that the average person would not consider buying them, but youth and young adults especially would disregard the notion to purchase such an expensive and deadly product. Today, there are states such as California, that are already looking into raising cigarette tax, so the money can go towards the cost of treating tobacco-related illnesses and diseases in the state's emergency rooms (McLain, 2005).

The reasoning behind so many people being put into hospitals and emergency rooms is because there are so many Americans in our society that are still choosing to smoke. Studies have found that smoking cigarette's is very dangerous and causes many problems such as lung cancer, birth defects, emphysema, asthma and many other body defects. With pregnancies, smoking may lead to premature birth or can limit the child to normal human functions. Also, cigarettes contain an active drug called nicotine,