The Rhinelander Daily News - Online news and information for the Rhinelander, Wisconsin region

Editor, The Daily News:

As a physician and medical director, I urge our state leaders to support Governor Jim Doyle's proposal to raise cigarette prices to help keep children from smoking, encourage smokers to quit, and to treat smokers who get sick.

Half of the children who start smoking will become addicted. Over their shortened lives, they will cough up phlegm daily and become increasingly breathless. One third will die from cancer, heart disease and emphysema.

Treating smokers who get sick costs taxpayers approximately half billion dollars a year, statewide. Reducing smoking will pay enormous dividends for them, their children, taxpayers and the health care system.

Raising the cost of cigarettes is a simple, effective policy.

Based on other states, raising the tobacco tax $1.25 will keep 84,000 children from smoking. It will also effectively encourage cessation. The tax increase will help 38,000 adult smokers quit.

For my pregnant patients who smoked, I've seen tragic outcomes for their babies, including low birth weights and fetal death. Parents and grandparents who smoke die from heart disease, lung disease and cancer.

Business people should support the tobacco tax, too. It costs about $2 billion dollars a year in Wisconsin to treat smokers who get sick from tobacco, much of it paid by businesses that provide health insurance for employees.

It's time to support a cigarette tax increase.

Dr. Dorothy Skye ,OB/Gyn, Associate Medical Director for Primary Care Services at Ministry Medical Group-Northern Region - Ministry Health Care

Note : Letters to the Editor is updated once a week, every Wednesday.

Tell us what you think...

Comments »

Rohith wrote on Apr 12, 2008 4:47 PM:

" This is a very good idea. If smoking stops and is banned, there would be benifits everywhere. "

Deb J. wrote on Jan 2, 2008 12:28 PM:

" What a way to rip people off!!! What next?? The government has dug so deep in our pockets, that there isn't anything left to dig for. It seems there is always some poor excuse too. Now they are using the young kids. Don't you think it is time to get real? The rich (government) doesn't want to spend their money (pay more taxes), they are going to squeeze it out of the middle class and poor. If you think crime is bad now, wait until people start robbing stores and tobacco trucks to get their nicotine that they can't any longer afford. I can't imagine getting assualted for a pack of cigarettes or just one cigarette. I know that I am going to look for cheaper means or make my own. "

CT wrote on Oct 25, 2007 7:25 PM:

" This is not about smokers right's or non-smokers right's its about the government's right to do any ding-dong thing they want!!! and when they are taxing your bottle or your fast food until you cant have it "because they say its not good for you (your fat heart and bad livers cost the health care system to much money) so if you cant pay the tax dont eat it or dont drink it. will your opinion be the same??? "

char wrote on Oct 25, 2007 7:03 PM:

" I believe smoking is a nasty habit I as an x smoker hope that all people who smoke could quit, but this tax is not because the government wants people to stop smoking the government dedicates these moneys not to anti smoking efforts or prevention plans but to roads, highways, the general fund (whatever that is) even a suicide prevention plan gets a piece of the pie, its about money not people or their rights, what would happen if everyone did quit what would be taxed instead?? may as a non-drinker they should add a $20 for a bottle of wine that would stop people from becomming drunks or add a $ for each bottle of beer sold?? how much would that contribute to the general government fund??? what do ya think? "

CVS wrote on Oct 20, 2007 6:35 AM:

" Maybe now everything will even out. All these people moaning and goaning about people who smoke. Here is my prediction, with the price increase, some smokers will indeed quit because they can't afford them anymore. So now the state says, "Oh no, where are we going to get this money from now"? Answer: EVERYONE. You people should think about it, even though the smoke may offend you, the smokers are actually saving YOU money by paying higher taxes on cigarettes. We should have higher taxes on beer,wine,liquor,etc. because if you want to bring up the excuse that smoking kills others with second hand smoke, think about this, cigarette smoking vs. drunk driving. You can kill yourself and others with both, but drunk driving wins hands down. By the way, I'm a non-smoker. "

Aurora wrote on Oct 14, 2007 2:49 PM:

" I totally agree to raise the cigarette tax. My rights as a non smoker feels like I don't have any rights when a smoker decides to light up next to me or walking in public or at a restaurant. Your right to smoke ends where my lungs begin G.A.S.P. (group against smoking pollution. You know if you politely ask a smoker because you're allergic to it to put out his cigarette most often it's a war and sometimes turns into profanity and will ruin your day. Innocent children and toddlers must not be influenced by degenerating them against their will with cigarette smoke. Their rights as well as non-smokers rights should be fair and they should raise the cigarette tax to $10. "

JK wrote on Oct 9, 2007 6:52 PM:

" Shouldn't the focus be on the HIGH HEALTH CARE cost, the poor in our OWN country, and the drugs/violence in our communities??? "

D wrote on Oct 3, 2007 4:38 PM:

" I currently live in Minnesota, a state in which recently passed a cigarette tax. As a smoker, I can tell you I haven't quit. Taxes like this are just trying to take away our freedom. If you pass this law, soon you will be jumping on the band wagon with the Clean Air Act. Not only will that hurt businesses in both law aspects, but it will also hurt the government. "

M.M.A wrote on Oct 2, 2007 9:41 PM:

" This is'nt just about smoking, it is about freedom of choice. That is one of the principles that our country was founded on. A group of people found a way to allow each other to have different opinions and make choices different from each other and still create the country we now live in. Are we sure that we want to take the freedom of choice away from anyone and set the precedent for losing more? If we can take it away from one group then how about some more choices that adults make that we really don't agree with. "

Paul wrote on Sep 28, 2007 9:47 PM:

" Cigarette taxes should be raised for several reasons. First, it can raise revenues for important things, like helping pay for health care for those who cannot afford it. Secondly it reduces the amount smoked, making quitting easier and more likely. The only ones who lose from smoking bans are big tobacco companies. They've already spent huge sums of money to try to defeat smoking bans in many states. They use dishonest and devious methods such as getting confusing alternative measures put on the ballot. Luckily they've failed more often than not. Hopefully their present big money campaign to thwart new tobacco taxes in Oregon will fail. "

Jenab wrote on Sep 25, 2007 1:24 PM:

" Jer.... Chantrix sounds super dangerous. there has been a ton a press about that drug. I hear the FDA is looking into it. "

a wrote on Sep 24, 2007 3:09 AM:

" When they came for the eaters of bacon burgers with bleu cheese despite the fact that research points to it causing coronary blockage and expensive surgeries that raise insurance costs, despite the mandated surgeon generals warning dyed onto the bun, despite the fact that the nannies in the legislature passed a 100000% tax on bacon to discourage youth bacon-eating, despite health care practitioners advice against consumption of bacon..... I draw the line at other people attempting to babysit an adult - I am confident in my ability to make my own choices - my choice of restaurant, my choice of employer, my choice of extra bacon, or my choice to engage in a risky hobby. Caveat emptor. "

a wrote on Sep 24, 2007 3:08 AM:

" The fourth Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court, John Marshall, once said “The power to tax is the power to destroy” In this particular bit of destruction, I am reminded of Martin Niem�ller's poem on indifference: When they came for the smokers, I remained silent; I was not a smoker....... "

cecil wrote on Sep 22, 2007 11:38 PM:

" It seems the cost falls on the smoker, marboro man had nothing to do with it. don't think taxing mostly working americans will help, get real, we can't make it now. shut down the tobacoo company's and make them rehab smokers to fix the problem I've paid 79,300.00 to smoke and are to high worked and stressed to quit "

Matt wrote on Sep 22, 2007 6:25 PM:

" No more Cig. Taxes already. Go find another ox to gore. And I don't smoke. "

Zeke the Freak wrote on Sep 22, 2007 2:11 PM:

" So if we all stop smoking, who will make up for all those tax dollars that the government gets from tax dollars.... "

Robert Putnam wrote on Sep 21, 2007 10:19 AM:

" I apologize for saying my letter would never see the light of day I was wrong Rhinelander Daily News - I applaud you. Keep up the good work. "

Robert Putnam wrote on Sep 17, 2007 7:39 AM:

" Apparently this Doctor must be a Democrat as she knows these Republicans will not go for this as they are against anything that will help. Another thing how in the heck can any thinking person vote for a Republican especially the elderely when they know that the Democrats were the only ones that fought for Social Security and not one Republican ever voted for it. What President got you elderely folks Medicare it sure as hell wasn't a Republican was it? Think people. I know this letter will never see the light of day. "

Bill H wrote on Sep 14, 2007 6:22 AM:

" Cost has always been shown to be a very large factor in getting people to quit, and in keeping cigarettes out of the hands of children. Anything that keeps tobacco away from kids and encourages smokers to quit is a good thing. "

JJ wrote on Sep 13, 2007 6:54 PM:

" To Jack D.....we are not "whining" about smoking. It seems that the non-smokers are the ones whining. We have already been banned from most of the area restaurants and why should we as smokers have to stay home because of the "pollution we put out"? I bet your car or truck puts out more pollution that we do as a group of smokers, but I don't see anyone trying to get an emmissions program in this area for our cars to get checked and fixed. Half of the people in this "UP NORTH" area have crap for cars that give off way more pollutants than our smokers do! Get over it and why don't you stay home for a night so you don't have to deal with "us" or go somewhere where smoking is already banned if that is what you need to do. "

Joe Fay wrote on Sep 13, 2007 3:37 PM:

" One more point. Illinois has increased tobacco taxes by $350 million this year to cover the State's budget overrun. The increase revenue will be used to expand infastructure and other state programs. Again the majority is taxing a minority. Alcohol taxes on a per drink basis have been declining since the 50's yet we keep sticking it to the smoker. Remember the Constitution was created to protect the minority from a overzealous majority misues of private property and taxes! Taxes plus the Industry settlements more than cover all medical costs for smoking related illness, now we are getting into social engineering in order to strip people of basic liberties. "

Joe Fay wrote on Sep 13, 2007 9:21 AM:

" The leading cause of premature death is obesity. Out of pocket medical costs of obesity in the US is about $125 Billion, compared to smoking related illness at $80 Billion. According to the CDC 21% of Americans smoke. The majority of smokers are young, uneducated, living at or below the poverty level, yet they now bear the burden of over 35 billion of new tobacco taxes in 2007 plus employee taxes for their share of medicare and medicaid. Half of all medical costs in the US are covered by Medicare of Medicade. Is this fair? Using the logic of the anti smoker we need a FAT TAX, lets start taxing every Big Mac sold. We tax the smoker, because smokers have been demonized. A majority is now taxing a minority, very unconstitutional! Oh, and they can't assemble in public anymore either...tax'em and keep them out of site! "

becca wrote on Sep 13, 2007 1:22 AM:

" I have a radical idea...how about making smoking cigarettes ILLEGAL? It's a drug and is shown to be more addictive than cocaine. That would certainly be more unreasonable to smokers than raising cigarette tax. What you do to your health is your business but when it affects mine then it becomes my business. As a non-smoker I shouldn't have to pay more in health insurance because you smoke which causes you to seek assistance more often for smoking related illnesses therefore raising healthcare costs. Another suggestion....if you smoke you don't qualify for health insurance. There's a reason skydivers can't get life insurance...do you see where I'm going here? I see where the point of raising taxes on food was made, but the obese are only hurting themselves in their addiction to food. Likewise, food is a basic necessity to survival, smoking is not. "

Informed wrote on Sep 10, 2007 4:27 PM:

" First of all wisconsin does not have the highest tobacco tax it is 33rd. Second Look up the CDC website on best practice to prevent youth smoking. 1. raise the tax 2. Fund the tobacco program 3, Smoke free air. This is what people who know the research are trying to do!!!! Remeber the tobacoo companies have spent BILLIONS of dollars to try to convice you that these steps don't work. Well the smoking rate in Wisconsin has risen since the last time the legislators raided the tobacco program funding "

Dan wrote on Sep 7, 2007 7:16 PM:

" Finally let me add this little note to everybody complaining about smoking. I don't hear you complaining about people driving cars and trucks. Funny that it produces the same carbon monoxide as tobacco smoke but you don't complain about that and there are a LOT more drivers than there are smokers. Ok I'm done now on this one. "

Dan wrote on Sep 7, 2007 7:13 PM:

" Ok first off let's start by saying that I've been on both sides of the fence on this. That said no amount of raising tobacco taxes will smokers from smoking. You see there's this wonderful thing called the internet and the more Gov. Doyle raises taxes the less likely he'll get any income from the higher tobacco prices because people will just buy them over the net from other, less expensive places. Second.. enough of the whining on both sides, the biggest God and government given right is freedom of choice. Let us all live as we will and quit whining about what others do. Didn't we go through this kind of appartheid in the 60's between blacks and whites? Third, we are already one of the highest, if not the highest taxed states in the U.S.; just what in the world are our state officials doing with that money? "

Jer wrote on Sep 5, 2007 1:24 PM:

" I read most of these comments and laugh. Smokers say it's their right to smoke, anti-smokers say it's their right not to breathe it. The original article suggests raising taxes on cigarrettes to reduce teen smoking. That simply (in my opinion) will not have the desired effect. The bottom line: Smoking is bad for your health. That, everyone can agree on. So is eating, breathing, driving, drinking, and voting Republican. If they are that insistant on raising taxes, then do so. People will still smoke. But, take that income and put it towards the cost of programs/drugs to help people quit smoking. Not towards anything else. Period. "

sane? wrote on Sep 5, 2007 9:56 AM:

" its our life let us do what we want.tax car tires more so we wont have so many idiots driving.tax chocolate and suger more so the fat people lose weight and there kids to.does anyone know what the heck theyre doing anymore?we used to be the country of the free and now we are the country thats run by cry babies. "

Bruce Fox wrote on Sep 5, 2007 8:21 AM:

" If smokers paid $ 9.50 for a pack of cigarettes it would still be cheaper than the drugs available as a substitute. Antidepressants, ADD, and ADHD drugs cost more than that per day, sometimes more than twice that. If you want to reduce health care costs don't decry smoking, decry the insured costs you all bear from non-smokers using the slternatives. "

Tom D wrote on Sep 4, 2007 10:36 PM:

" It seems obvious that the realality of the proposed cigerette tax is that it won't have the desired effect. The price of a package of cigerettes is not going to stop kids that want to smoke from doing so. This is another deceptably viable reason (a smoke screen) to impose one groups morale choices on another. What is the non-smokers objection to having a place for smokers and a place for non-smokers? This provides "everyone" an 'Americans' freedom of choice. To try to remove that choice when there are alternatives is anti-American. "

Mike wrote on Sep 4, 2007 2:55 PM:

" Wow. An oppressed bunch these smokers. Whose "rights'' are being violated? A fifth of my heath insurance dollars go to treat smokers who get sick. A half a billion tax dollars go to treat poor smokers under Medicaid. Some smokers think they're so special that they don't have to part of the solution, then fine. Let's respect their "rights." Let's give them the full bill for their health care -- about $9.50 a pack. The more reasonable strategy is to raise tobacco taxese and use the money to treat people who are sick, help people quit, and help keep kids from smoking in the first place. That's what this governor has proposed. It sure seems like the right thing to do. "

John D wrote on Sep 1, 2007 10:10 AM:

" How about educating parents how to deal with these situations with their kids. Taxes are rising, parents are working more...lets add more tax so parents have to work even longer. This is just a scam for more money. Why don't we ban smoking in all buildings first. I smoke and wouldn't mind this change. "

jen h wrote on Sep 1, 2007 6:10 AM:

" Kids will still smoke reguardless of the cost, they will find a way to pay for them or steal them. The tax should be on cigarettes and anything that can harm others in the air. If someone wants to chew tabacco I think that should be their choice. I don't think that all tobacco taxes should go up. "

Jay wrote on Aug 31, 2007 8:05 PM:

" Can you imagine what would happen to the governments revenue (read spending power) if they did the responsible thing, and totaly banned tobbaco? Why do you think they haven't suggested this? If it's that bad BAN IT! Don't blame the companys, employees & stockholders. And don't tell about Edward's wanting a ban on Public smoking. "

Zeke the Freak wrote on Aug 31, 2007 1:09 PM:

" So ok... Illinois has some of the highest prices on smokes and it doesnt seem to stop them. I say go ahead and raise the prices. If it will stop the fruits in Madison from forcing their potential state wide health care on me, then go for it. You will not stop smokers that want to smoke, you will not stop kids from smoking if they want to smoke. And to the Anti-smoking patrol, my mother had a good saying that will suit you all.... There is a reason why your nose is on your face and not detacthable. Keep it there, dont judge, dont tell people how to run their lives or buisnesses. If you dont like smoking or smoking environments, there is always a place where you can go for an anti smoking establishment. Its called your own home. And eventually we all quit smoking someday. "

Tracy wrote on Aug 30, 2007 10:09 AM:

" Maybe Im a different type of ex-smoker, when I was a smoker I would try not to smoke in a resturant, or in the car. Now that I quit smoking, I can see where the smell does bother many people. I think its great that we are trying to keep children from smoking, however I dont feel adding more taxes, to our already high taxed state, is going to help. How about more education for young children, elementary aged? Lets try to talk to our children about the dangers of smoking, instead of taxing the over taxed, over worked, underpaid citizens of WI. "

Geraldine S. wrote on Aug 29, 2007 6:23 PM:

" To Jer, Yes take responsibility but come on "don't go places where you will be subjected to it".(?) Basically we would be prisoners because we could be subjected to it anywhere we walk, in public parks, traffic, etc. "

Jer wrote on Aug 29, 2007 4:27 PM:

" To the gentleman that stated the "smokers" should,"Quit their whining".Funny Its the non-smokers that do all the complaining!The only time you hear smokers complain is when people like you decide smokers are less of an American, and don't deserve the freedom of choice that they are allowed.Sure, you have the freedom of choice to not breathe it, and I will give you that.So,it is simple:don't go places where you will be subjected to it.Eat at smoke free restaraunts, dont walk past designated smoking areas outside of businesses.Thats what I do.But no, it is easier to sit and complain than to take personal responsibility. It's too easy to blame others. I understand, it's not your fault. As an average American, it's common. I'm an ex-smoker,I can't stand the smell anymore. But, what gives me the right to tell someone else what they are allowed to do? "

DW wrote on Aug 29, 2007 8:49 AM:

" I would like to say awesome job to the two kids that faught off the disgusting individual that attempted to kidnap them by the old west side school. Its about time our children finally won a battle againest these monsters that think they have the right to take our kids. Good job also to the parents for being smart enough to talk about what a child should do in this situation. Lets find this individual who thinks he is better then the law and who thinks he has the right to try to do this in our community. Let's ban together parents. "

ECM wrote on Aug 29, 2007 7:23 AM:

" The non-smoking law in restaurants in the commonwealth of Virginia did not pass the state Senate. It was disappointing for non-smokers, but fortunately, ALL restaurants in Virgina offer non-smoking and smoking areas. Something I did not see in many of the restaurants in Rhinelander when I visited last month. It was disgusting for my group to try to enjoy our meal with smoke blowing in our faces from the table next to us. (Some)smokers seem to demonstrate absolutly no common sense and consideration for non-smokers or anyone but themselves. BTW, I quit smoking 15 years ago and have NEVER looked back. "

Jack D. wrote on Aug 28, 2007 8:09 PM:

" Smokers, quit whining. Your behavior affects me and other non-smokers. What about my "rights" to clean air and not to breathe the crap you spew into the air? If you want to smoke, do it at home or somewhere where the public isn't force to consume the air pollution you put out there. "

Jeff Larson wrote on Aug 28, 2007 4:37 PM:

" The nice thing about cigarette taxes is, if you don't want to pay them, you don't have to! Just don't smoke. "

Justined wrote on Aug 28, 2007 1:45 PM:

" Raising the taxes on tobacco will not keep teens from smoking. If they can afford to buy the illegal drugs, and they do buy them, the price of a pack of cigarettes will certainly be meaningless to the teens. Just as making certain drugs illegal, have not kept millions of teens from using them. My belief is that the people who say these stupid things just to get more money out of smokers, have never been around a teen in their life. I see more teens smoking now since all the hoopla about bans, than I've ever seen. "

me wrote on Aug 28, 2007 4:11 AM:

" Why don't people just mind their own business and let people do what they want. If people want to smoke and get sick from it let them at it. Don't our politians have better things to worry about than some stupid smoking tax. All they want is more money out of people. We pay enough taxes to our government and maybe they should maybe start thinking of better ways of using our tax dollars. "

diane wrote on Aug 27, 2007 2:28 PM:

" I am an ex smoker. It irritates me to no end how the smokers rights are being violated. It is their choice. Leave them alone. If I was still smoking, i would be livid about how they are telling me where i can smoke and can't smoke. "

SCOTT wrote on Aug 26, 2007 12:40 AM:

" IAM A SMOKER HOW ABOUT MY CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS LIKE FREEDOM OF CHOICE. I CHOOSE TO SMOKE I PAY FOR THEM OUT OF MY HARD EARNED MONEY ITS TIME NON SMOKERS GET OFF THEIR HIGH HORSE AND LET IT REST. "

James Hickey wrote on Aug 24, 2007 7:33 AM:

" Lets get off the back of smokers when it comes to raising taxes. If the raising of taxes is needed then lets be honest and bring the issue to light and all of us can vote on it. This bringing of children into the picture is a fraud. As a nonsmoker I am getting tired of making smokers the focus of all civil wrongs "

Barb G. wrote on Aug 21, 2007 2:46 PM:

" I agree with a tax. People who smoke have money to burn. If smokers are going to poison themselves and everyone else, there may as well be something positive to come out of it. Terry has a good point, too, though. Obesity is also a major health cost and concern, and it is as much of a choice as having a cigarette. Fortunately, though, overeaters are only harming their own health. "

Terry Catlin wrote on Aug 21, 2007 6:57 AM:

" If you are going to pick on smokers, why not tax food for all the fat sickly people too. "

Hollie S. wrote on Aug 19, 2007 9:49 AM:

" What happened to the promise of "no new taxes"from the governor? "

Lindsey wrote on Aug 18, 2007 9:54 PM:

" Everyone keeps saying the children. True I would rather my child not make the mistake I have and smoke. No matter what children will get the cigarettes any way possible if they want them. Now that I am older I hate paying the prices for them, but a couple years ago I was not going to quit and didn't just because they raised the prices. "

Jer wrote on Aug 17, 2007 11:01 AM:

" Get real, kids who smoke don't buy them. They get them from their parents. They get them from their friends parents, they steal them. I know, I used to be a teen smoker. I quit a few years ago. Not because of the price, but because it finally dawned on me what happens medically to smokers. You want to help people quit smoking? Take the money from the cigarrette tax and put it towards the patch, and the gum, and Chantrix, and make it cheaper for people who are addicted to cigarrettes to be able to quit. Crack down harder on teens that smoke, double those fines. If you think raising the price of cigarrettes a whopping $1.25 is going to deter teens from smoking, maybe you should check your local street drug prices. "

Mark M. wrote on Aug 16, 2007 7:57 PM:

" I agree. We've done something similar here in Minnesota and are already seeing positive results in youth and adult smoking cessation. The long-term hope is that it saves government and business money by way of healthier employees and less costly citizens. "

The comments above are from readers. In no way do they represent the views of the Rhinelander Daily News.