With the passing of the state wide smoking ban as part of the state budget that will take effect next summer and the skyrocketing taxes per pack of cigarettes, it would appear that the state of Wisconsin has taken a strong stance against smoking. Why, then, did it come out this week that the state programs that include a quit-smoking phone line would be taking drastic budget cuts? This cutback goes far beyond Governor Doyle’s previous goal of ten percent reduction from each agency’s budget. The numbers show this year’s budget is $5 million but will fall to $1.8 million for 2010, a total reduction of almost 278%.
Is this shift in policy one that relies on smokers being “out of sight, out of mind?” It is clear that smokers have been singled out by the state government as a group that deserves a heavier tax burden, a policy with which even I, a lifetime non-smoker, disagree. With significant cuts in state anti-smoking programs, Wisconsin appears to have lost its moral and economic arguments that it wanted healthier citizens and a reduction to the healthcare expenses of taxpayers. Clearly a large portion of the money is not going to these worthy causes. It appears to be a classic bait and switch scheme, previously seen with the state’s highway fund and other segregated fees that have been raided in recent years.
So if the state’s goal is not to achieve zero smokers, and is using the cash raised for other budget priorities, does that mean that the State of Wisconsin wants you to smoke and continue to do so to fix their budget blunders? Hard to say for sure, but their actions don’t leave much room for alternative theories. It might be asking too much to have an honest state government that can explain why they should be able to collect $2.52 per pack of cigarettes, yet place a diminishing importance on reducing smoking in Wisconsin. I applaud Rep. Jeff Smith (D-Eau Claire) for attempting to gain an additional $2 million for such programs, but more importantly segregated fees in this state must be protected and used for their state purpose.
For the full story check out the Wisconsin State Journal:
For more information on Smoking in Wisconsin:
www.smokefreewi.org