why do states think that raising the cigarette tax is always the answer?

Question

they really don't make any sense when they say they need the revenue in one breath and with the other say higher prices will deter young smokers...at a point the tax revenue will fail to exist, or be basically moot...
a leading economist said in an article that health costs from smokers passed on to taxpayers is offset by the smoker dying younger on average...he said many people don't want to figure this into the formula, but they must to get an accurate picture..he said that states actually save money on smokers, even with the added health costs, and that if states were serious about saving money, they should actually cut taxes and reward smokers...
i agree with the economist, alot of the other dribble is written by anti-smokers, period.

Answer 1

It's the typical short-sighted liberal tax and spend mindset. Nothing new.