Go Mark!

Here comes Mark Nelson representing R. J. Reynolds and 7-11. My Man!

Mark starts with providing the Oregon smoker profile from the Center for Disease Control. He says that almost 62 percent of Oregonians who smoke earn under $35,000. Only 8% of Oregon smokers earn more than $75,000.

He tries to make the point that smokers would be subsidizing the health care costs.

Um…okay.

I've got to be honest here. Mark told me he was going to make this argument, and I guess it's okay, but frankly I don't think it's our best talking point. We already know that increasing the cost of cigarettes will lower smoking rates. So wouldn't a higher cigarette tax have a greater effect on lower income smokers and make them more likely to quit?

Mark, buddy, I was hoping you'd come up with something better.

Friends, I have to sign off now and will pick up reporting on the hearing a little later this evening.