$1-Per-Pack Cigarette Tax

Illinois will add a tax to a pack of cigarettes that will drive the cost up one more dollar. The added tax will go to the state's Medicaid program. Here in California it is possible to find a $4.50 per pack price at some Smoke Shops. If we added the same kind of tax then a two-pack-per-day smoker would spend nine dollars daily. That comes to a tobacco habit costing $270 monthly. (An upcoming Prop 29 affirmative vote on June 5th in California will bring this increase to us.)


That would be maximum motivation to quit, for me. Luckily I stopped smoking back in 1980. I started smoking while in high school when cigarettes were 25¢ per pack.