Most of my life growing up

Mom was a single parent, who often worked two jobs to support us and provide

health insurance. I tell you these details because it will help me make

my point. You see, as a worker in the health care area, I see people every

day who die from smoking-related cancer or illness.

I mentioned how difficult my

Mom had it to provide health insurance for us but I have to believe that

if she were not a smoker she would not have had to work so much in order

to pay for it. The money she would have saved on cigarettes would have

paid our insurance premiums.

I do not wish to offend anyone,

as I have many friends and family members very dear to me who choose to

smoke. The point is that many tobacco users do not have health insurance

because they cannot afford it. Often times these same smokers are Medicaid

recipients and supported by taxpayers. I dare say that the money spent

on tobacco would be enough to pay for hospital insurance. In fact, a 2-pack-per-day

smoker spends about $180 per month on cigarettes. Ironically a health

insurance policy for a 40-year-old smoker would cost about $180 per month

in premiums. I say, what is wrong with this picture?

Pay for cigarettes, but let

a neighbor taxpayer pay for your health insurance? If that statement is

not enough to inspire 70 percent of you to support HB 379 (30 percent

of Georgians use tobacco), then consider the following facts:

It is estimated that Georgia

spends $1.75 billion annually (on direct health care costs) and of that

amount, $419 million is spent on Medicaid recipients for tobacco-related

illnesses.

Our current budget deficit

is over $620 million, which could possibly be remedied in one year by

increasing the tobacco user fee by 75 cents, effecting only tobacco users,

making them more responsible for their share of the health care expenditures.

This is a very obvious solution to recovery.

Before criticizing members

of the Georgia General Assembly for supporting this "tax" increase,

please consider that many who signed taxpayer protection pledges did so

prior to inheriting a $620 million deficit in the budget.

There has not been a tax increase

on tobacco products in 32 years. Only the tobacco industry has raised

their prices, not benefiting Georgia's revenue at all. Furthermore, there

currently is no tax whatsoever on smokeless tobacco (possibly making this

product more attractive to our youth).

On the health side of things:

87 percent of all lung cancers are caused by smoking, which means that

87 percent of all lung cancers are preventable.

The average age of a first-time

smoker is 13, and 89 percent of smokers started before age 18. I'd say

tobacco has a definite impact on our youth.

Well, have I convinced anyone

to pick up the phone and call your local representative and tell them

that you would like their support on the HB 379, If we don't let them

know that we support this, they have no way of knowing what we voters

expect from them. Let's be fair to the people that we have given this

responsibility to and offer them our support.

Our children deserve it and

so do all the families of those who have lost their lives from the dreadful

effects of this poison. It is a win-win proposition for Georgia's kids,

health care and the economy.

Debby Tourville

American Cancer Society

Fayetteville