Community reacts to governor's cigarette tax hike proposal

STATEWIDE -- It's something smokers just don't want to hear.
"The government should be out of our business and should stop telling people what to do and what not to do."
Those who want to light up may have to pay an extra buck in taxes for a pack of cigarettes. This as part of Governor Paterson's 2010-2011 budget proposal. The governor wants to hike up the cigarette tax from $2.75 to $3.75.
"It’s ridiculous, now they're raising it up a dollar everyone is going to quit"!
That's exactly the point the American Cancer Society wants to make.
"You know it’s hard to get excited for a tax increase in this economy. This is tax increase that New Yorkers can feel very good about its actually good for public health and financial health and it will help in three ways it will save money creating new revenue and it will save lives because it will get individuals from stop smoking or even starting and all of that money will go to offsetting the cost of health care, " said American cancer society regional vice president Diana Martin.
Businesses agree, some saying after the Governor's first cigarette tax hike they've seen more people opting to buy smoking cessation products.
" I've seen less people buying less cigarettes and more people quitting and trying to quit with Chantix and some of the other things that are available to them, " said Mobile clerk Sandra Blanchard.
The governor's cigarette tax increase proposal will help close the $7.4 billion budget gap the state faces by reeling in about $200 million each year in revenue.