In Their Own Words: How do students feel about a proposed cigarette tax?

“I think it’s a step in the right direction. Those are very lethal things to buy.  A lot of kids don’t get it and don’t realize what they’re doing to their bodies. A price spike makes them think twice about it.”

“I think it would be good for both the local government and the consumers. For those who are buying, then the government benefits from taxes. If they refuse to, it’s better for their health. Coming from a family in which my dad used to smoke and then stopped because of the price, we realized it was a good thing.”

“I definitely think it’s something we should look into, seeing how the new craze is Juuling. I still feel that part of the cigarette industry needs to change … I feel that making it harder for people who are underage to get their hands on tobacco, whether it’s by raising the price, would benefit our young population.”

“I’m for it. It’s more money for the government for something that’s detrimental to the population, with cancer and all. The only thing I’m concerned about is that if you are a smoker who’s trying to quit, it’s a lot more added cost to your daily life even if you are making positive steps toward quitting.