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Many groups have done research on this topic. Below are some highlights.
National Center for Policy Analysis
NCPA's Will a Cigarette Tax Increase Really Help Uninsured Children? questions whether an increase in the cigarette tax is the best way to help children who don't have health insurance.
Who be the next target after tobacco? In More Candidates for Extortion, senior fellow Bruce Bartlett looks at some potential targets for similar lawsuits.
Cigarette Ad Bans Not Very Effective examines other countries where cigarette advertising has been prohibited. Tobacco, Censorship and the Internet discusses the potentially chilling effects of banning tobacco ads online.
The large sums of money that the lawyers will get for orchestrating the tobacco settlement is criticized in Who Elected Lawyers? and $50 Million Men: Tobacco Lawyers Become Sultans.
Addicted to Big Government discusses the tobacco bill from Senator John McCain (R-AZ) -- a bill calling for new excise taxes, new spending, and expanded regulatory powers. According to CSE, this bill completely "abandons the principles of limited government and individual freedom."
McCain Bill vs. Article I, Section 9 discusses the constitutional ban on bills of attainder, which are laws that specifically remove the rights of a person or persons. "Official Washington's rhetoric clearly demonstrates that both the administration and Congress intend to punish 'Big Tobacco' for its alleged wrongs."
A brief Cascade Commentary makes the point that It's About Property Rights, Not Smokers' Rights.
In First They Came for Tobacco ... Cascade again looks at the expansion of the tobacco settlement to other "self-destructive" behaviors, like dairy products.
Dr. Paul Smith, Health Policy Advisor to Cascade, argues that "sin taxes don't eliminate sin" in Tobacco Taxes, Not What the Doctor Ordered.
With their trademark style, the LP's press releases get to the heart of the matter on this issue:
With an eye on sound research, this editorial from Investor's Business Daily entitled The Tobacco Bill Fraud examines the numbers put forth by the settlement proponents and attempts to reconcile them to similar research studies. "What a fraud."
These other editorials expose more unsound science behind much of the anti-smoking propaganda:
The Center for Lifestyle Freedom looks at issues of personal freedom and responsibility. Forbidden Fruit: How Prohibition Increases the Harm It Tries to Reduce discusses how prohibitions tend not to bring about any net benefit, whether it is alcohol, tobacco, or any other vice.
Colorado had attempted to pass a law that would have required tobacco companies to make their trade secrets and formulas public. Trade Secrets Should Stay Secret discusses the folly of that provision and others in the bill as an example of government going too far.
Policy.Com -- a mainstream political Free-Market.Net -- has featured the Tobacco Settlement twice in the past year:
These are good overviews of the issue and the various positions.
Additional resources can be found on the Tobacco Settlement page in their Issues Library.
National Center for Public Policy Research
Lawyers' Fees in Tobacco Case Should Be Capped by Amy Ridenour discusses the pros and cons of allowing Congress to cap the fees of the lawyers associated with the national tobacco settlement.
Cato's Doug Bandow discusses Demon Tobacco, the effects of the nanny state and prohibitions in this National Center Policy Analysis.
National Federation of Independent Business
The NFIB warns its members to carefully watch the outcome of the Tobacco bills and the possible effects it could have on their businesses as the Tobacco Bill hits the floor of the Senate.
Small retail business owners need to watch for the new Tobacco Regulations.
Miscellaneous Resources
Industry Links
Background Information
Other Links
In December 2004 this page was modified significantly from its original form for archiving purposes.
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