November 23, 2011   A serious effort is under way to raise Missouri’s lowest-in-the-nation cigarette tax — a move that would vastly improve the health of both citizens and the state’s finances. Gov. Jay Nixon and legislative leaders should be leading this charge. Not only does Missouri’s ridiculous 17-cents-a-pack tax deprive the state of badly needed revenues, researchers have estimated that smoking costs the state’s Medicaid system more than $600 million a year. But the Democratic governor and Republican legislative leaders have not mustered the courage to place the health of Missouri citizens above their reluctance to support a tax boost. And so a citizens’ coalition has mounted a statewide initiative petition campaign.

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