Jackson Free Press

A sure-to-be contentious campaign to raise Mississippi's cigarette tax kicked off Nov. 18 in the rotunda of the state Capitol. A coalition of about 40 county and state groups calling itself "Communities for a Clean Bill of Health" called for the state to "Buck the system" by supporting a $1-per-pack increase to raise $184 million to help pay for the state's Medicaid costs (which would become $550 million with the federal matching funds added in, they say).

They also believe the tax would help decrease smoking. "We can talk finances all we want," said campaign communication coordinator Jim Herrington of the Mississippi Health Advocacy Program. "The big thing is saving lives." That can be done if the tax is high enough to discourage young people from starting to smoke and to encourage adults to quit, he added.

The average state cigarette tax in the U.S. is 84 cents per pack. The tax in Mississippi, set back in 1985, is a whopping 18 cents, the lowest in the Southeast. The average is 42.5 cents in Alabama, 36 cents in Louisiana, 59 cents in Arkansas, 41 cents in Texas, $1.03 in Oklahoma—and $2.40 up in New Jersey and $1.18 out in Arizona.

A statewide survey by the Stennis Institute of Government in 2003 found that 70 percent of Mississippians, of both major parties, support raising taxes to pay for health care in the state. Nearly 72 percent said they would support a 50-cent-a-pack increase in the cigarette tax.

Kimberly Hughes of the American Cancer Society said that the Stennis Institute is completing another survey, this one asking for opinions about the $1 increase, and should release the results this week. She said the coalition chose $1 because "the more the increase, the more the decrease" in smoking in the state. And, she added, the state's strained budget needs the money. "They would rather see us raise taxes than cut people off Medicaid," she said.

Coalition members said that many non-smokers and smokers alike support the increase. And, "the majority of Mississippians don't smoke. They say that the $1 increase would result in $679.5 million in health-care cost savings over five years.

The coalition gave out materials listing some pretty scary facts. For instance, that smoking is the leading cause of death of Mississippi. "Every year, cigarettes kill more people than alcohol, illegal drugs, homicide, suicide, automobiles and AIDS combined," the statement said.

The strongest opposition is likely to come from Gov. Haley Barbour, historically one of Big Tobacco's biggest lobbyists. He has pledged "no new taxes!" in Mississippi, no matter what, and that includes cigarette taxes.