Siler said his group is working with Sen. Allen Christensen, R-North Ogden, on drafting legislation for the tax increase, and intends for the $48.7 million a year he projects the increase will generate to go to health care or cancer research.

Harris added that his group figures the resulting higher cost of cigarettes would also cause about 15,000 Utahns to quit smoking because they could no longer afford it.

Rep. Paul Ray, R-Clearfield, said he is also working on a bill to raise the cigarette tax to about $2 a pack, and is working with the American Cancer Society and a variety of other groups to seek support. He unsuccessfully sought last year to raise the tax by 50 cents a pack.

"We started too late in the session last year. Also, we had a surplus that year, and a lot of members didn't want to raise taxes in that situation," Ray said. "This year there will be a cigarette tax increase. The question is: How big will it be?"

Siler said he expects opposition to a tax increase because it could hurt some Utahns during tough economic times. "But our position is that the Legislature cannot in the sake of fairness not do this campaign," he said. "Eighty-eight percent of Utahns don't smoke, but they are probably paying the majority of (health care) costs for those who do. It's really time for smokers to cover those costs."

Utah's cigarette tax of 69.5 cents a pack is currently the 34th highest among the 50 states and District of Columbia, according to the Federation of Tax Administrators. The highest cigarette tax is $2.58 a pack in New Jersey, and the cheapest is just 7 cents in South Carolina. Ten states have cigarette taxes that are at least $2 a pack.

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