It’s hard to argue that any effort to stop cigarette addiction isn’t a worthy pursuit. Still, Proposition 29 — which plans to increase the cigarette tax by $1 a pack and give that money to cancer research — is under fire. Critics say the program may be well intentioned, but that any new tax revenues should pay down the budget deficit. Proponents say making people pay more for their bad habit is a way raise needed research money, and break an addiction.
- More: Election 2012: What’s Government For?
- More: Prop 29: Should Smoking in California Be More Expensive? – from KQED’s The Lowdown blog