If you discourage smoking, who will pay tobacco taxes?

The National Association of Tobacco Outlets predicts that Pennsylvania would lose between $95 million and $106 million in revenues if Congress increases the federal excise tax on cigarettes and tobacco products.

The total loss of revenues to all 50 states is estimated at somewhere between $1.7 billion to $1.9 billion, according to the association, which represents businesses that sell tobacco products.

Congress is considering raising the federal tax on tobacco by 61 cents to fund the expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).

"The politicians in Washington who are pushing for a punitive 156 percent increase in cigarette taxes and even higher tax increases on other tobacco products will exacerbate the current deep recession through the loss of up to 117,000 union and non-union jobs and at least $1.8 billion annually in lost revenues for the states," said Tom Briant, the association's executive director.

Massive Tobacco Tax Increase by Congress Spells Even More Economic Disaster for Jobs and State Economies

Originally posted at TONY PHYRILLAS