I WISH PEOPLE WOULD LEAVE SMOKERS ALONE--WHY DON'T THEY TAX LIQUIOR, OR OTHER. IT IS MY RIGHT TO SMOKE, NOBODY ELSES BUSINESS--DRUNK DRIVING KILLS MORE PEOPLE THAN CIGERETTES!

The issue aint whether big brother government cares about you smoking the truth is they need $$$ for all the socialistic programs the american public demands. And your foolish if you think you can do anything to stop it because anything short of overthrowing our government will result in failure.As a smoker we have no rights they want us to believe were the biggest cause of deaths in the US. False we are just the easiest targets.If they were really concerned about the health of the nation they'd be taxing junk foods obesity kills more people than smoking it causes diabetes, high blood pressure,coronary heart disease,sleep apnea, osteoarthritis and many other complications but it would just be mean to say we're going to tax you because you are fat. The truth of the matter is as all we smokers know it is a combination of bad habits that will kill you.Me personally i've smoked for 21 years and i still outrun my 18-24 year old troops that don't smoke because I keep myself in peak physical condition. I already make my own whiskey i guess I'll have to start making my own smoke too!!!!!!!!

I think smoking is so gross. It's enough that people ignore the law that requires you to be 30 feet from a building, instead standing right outside the door so everyone walking out gets to smell your disgusting habit and inhale your secondhand carcinogens. I agree with Bill, tax the smokers endlessly!

OK so they are going to raise cigs another $1.00 a pack WTF. If they want money to use to repair our towns, highways, etc maybe they should quit paying these senators, government officials, etc all this money and pay them minimum wage like the rest of us. Most US senators and congressmen start at $150,000.00 a year so they can afford to smoke so they don't care about the poor people. So say a lot of people do stop smoking then what is going to happen. All of these companies that employee thousands of people are going to be out of business, tobacco farmers are going to be put out of work, all of these people are going to have to resort falling back on the welfare system thus leaving the state in more of a hardship than it already is. Suicide rates will increase, the welfare deficit will increase, and poverty will increase, so HONESTLY, who is going to be the winners in the long run. This will just cost the government more when it comes down to it because people will all have to get medical cards, food stamps, unemployment, and cash assistance. Programs will end up being shut down because there will be no funding because of the increase amount of people using federal resources. SO SERIOUSLY DO THESE PEOPLE EVEN THINK BEFORE THEY DECIDE TO IMPLEMENT THESE TAX INCREASES? No I don't think they look at the big picture. Yes granted smoking is bad for your health, so are the toxins that come from factories, cars, our household appliances, the runoff from factories that go into our water supplies, and the landfills seeping into our groundwater. Really I mean which is worse, leaving cig taxes where they are or raising them and causing a HUGE increase in state funds that will have to be used to take care of these people who are going to lose their jobs and need assistance.

All you people that are saying yes, this should be done. Better start thinking about what would happen if all the smokers do quit. He already said, it would raise 100 million a year on just a dollar increase, not counting what they already make off current taxes. Once those tax dollars are gone, get ready for milk, water, bread, you name it to cost 10 bucks a gallon, or a loaf. Then you all will be back to complaining.

All you ex-smokers are nothing buy hypocrits. Now that you have "kicked" the habit, you sit on your high pedestal as if your better than everyone else.

It makes perfect sense. You smokers stink and are polluting MY air supplies. I hope you are taxed ENDLESSLY.

If other states are smart they will pass similar legislation to defeat people going out of state to buy the stinky ass things.

Are the Democrats trying to make sure they NEVER get elected AGAIN in the FUTURE in West Virginia or what??

This is nothing more than another tax on the poor. Why don't they do more to create jobs and industry for the state of West Virginia, instead of trying to come up with more ways to line their own pockets? How much money a year does a Senator make anyhow? (look it up!)

It makes absolutely NO sense to create a tax on something that you say will then be consumed LESS because of the higher tax! How do you figure that creates more $$ for the state?? The Senator's statement makes no common sense! We already tax food in this state, and have been for decades, and WHERE are all of the benefits from THAT? (Just look at all of the families having to go to food pantries and needing financial aide & even homeless shelters now for your answer!)

Legislators need to think of and create ways to bring money IN to the state of West Virginia, not take more money from her already strapped people! Create more jobs! Create more industry! Do more with things like tourism, help small businesses, create "green" technologies and plants and factories that create large job markets, give more incentives, protect worker's rights, raise the minimum wage and help to boost our economy.

You can't boost a flagging economy by taking the spending money out of the hands of consumers, it makes NO sense!

Nothing to complain about here They need to tax more so they can subsidise the tobacco company's more to kill more I mean come on it's just effective population control You did know your tax dollars go to the tobacco company's to help kill you

5 million dead this yr worldwide from tobacco More than all other drugs and forms of death combined and the tax goes to enforcing laws against less harmful drugs Our leaders are all on the take Make an effort to vote them out before the entire country revolts

In all these comments i have yet to here the word cancer.You ALL will quit when a dr tells you .Well mr smoker you have lung cancer.THATS when most of you will quit

Oh well I'll just buy them in ohio or kentucky.....

LMAO! I love how people complain cigarette taxes somehow interfere with their "FREEDOMS". LOL...get over yourselves. I see no better way for WV to get needed funds than to tax the hell out of you stinky smokers. While they are at it, they should tax the hell out of alcohol and increase fines for drunk driving by hundreds of dollars.

I used to smoke but quit. It isn't hard to quit people I just sucked on committ lozenges for a couple months then moved on to breath mints. EXERCISE HELPS TOO. It stinks to high hell and I can't believe I ever picked up the habit.

The only way to stop this is to stop the politicians who vote these kind of actions. I'm sure there are way more serious issues than people smoking that they could be straightening out... Remember these issues when its election time. We are the people that is spoken in the constitution....

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

I don't smoke anymore, I just went cold turkey, sister-in-law sure smells when she walks by, I could throw-up...toss my groceries..etc. But I sure could go to FORT KNOX and buy as many cartons as you like, or maybe FORT CAMPBELL. I will have to let me know, as I will make a trip to KNOX soon. I need your phone number so I can tell you the prices while I am at KNOX. email me at hotlzchili@aol.com Born in Weston raised in Jane Lew area.

Rob Reed

If the state needs this money for the roads, then tax alcohol. This will cut down on the drunk driving. Add a couple hundred dollars to the fine. Better yet, fine these idiots for talking on the phone while pretending to drive. Maybe this could cut down on the "accidents" too. Smoking hasn't a thing to do with the roads.

So the WV legislature wishes to increase Cigarette taxes on citizens who are already on the edge of poverty and unemployment.

And just what will the state do with this money??? LMAO

Mountaineer's you need to remember this fiasco come the next election....

I agree with not inpotant..Good goin senator..cause me n my husband r not gonna quit along with other..It's my one "luxury" i afford myself in life..i cant do it in public anymore! My right as a "american" so it's not affecting anyone..If u dont like it in my home leave..cost of increase wont FORCE me 2 stop but mean less my family can do..or maybe west virginians should stop..Buy Pot with no taxes Illegally or other Drugs cheaper than cigarettes then you can take YOUR new Found Tax $$ n build more prisons n jails 2 house us!!NO $$ profit for u there..Cost more$$ or maybe we should all quit work get assistance n smoke instead..So yeah way I see it is god closes 1 door n opens another..But sometimes there is hell in the hallway..what doors r u gonna open with ur $1.00 increase..Happy Holidays Senator..Oh By the way..We as the public would like 2 know honestly..How many smokers do u have in ur family again??

You know, you can legally grow your own tobacco with which to roll your own cigarettes, thus cutting out the middle men, and the big, ugly, stupid tax guy, you know Igor. Every American is allowed to grow up to two acres of tobacco for personal consumption per year. You can just lay it on the ground to cure, or you can build your own small curing house. It might not be as mild or as good as store purchased, but it is essentially free. Personal use includes giving some away to friends and family, but you cannot sell it, otherwise all the taxes apply.

see we should leagalize pot n then tax it like californa does they get all kind of money from taxes 4 it whats wrong with that cigarettes r allready taxed to death r goverment is stupid they r trying to force us to quit smoking what about r rights as americans we aint gonna have any left when the goverment is done wv is wasting money to fight people who smoke pot and put them in jail then tax payer pay 4 it stupid

Can anyone recommend a cheap website for real smokes?

Can anyone recommend a cheap website for real smokes?

your right good bye freedom but we all know the GOOD OLE US 0f A is not the land of free any longer and its getting worse each day, I dont smoke but have bought enough for others that do and I still dont agree on this tax hike.But you speek of raising their medical premiums alot of the smokers have WV medicare and could care less about them raising a premium. I for one have no insurance and feel my health getting worse by the day but who cares, not anyone thats who.

I think this is reduculous! When our government starts forcing us to stop doing something by raising prices, you know the world is going to hell in a hand basket. People have enough time trying to make ends meet with out prices of anything going up. If smokers want to risk their health, then let them pay higher medical premiiums. Don't raise prices when its not going to work, did you not learn this from raising prices before?

Good by Land of the free, home of the brave... Hello land of the restricted, home of the rich!