[SheLion]

Something funny going on here with this.  Oregon is one of 46 states in the pocket of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation which is hooked up with the American Medical Association.

The higher the bans, control, restrictions and higher taxes the state imposes on smokers, the bigger the grant money the state will receive from the RWJ Foundation!

"Most of the money would go to the state's health plan for low-income residents. If the measure fails, the health plan funding would be cut by $70 million"

"Cut by $70 million!"  Cut by whom?  The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation because Oregon hasn't been slicing the throats of their smokers fast enough?

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation          then click on Tobacco

• Oregon Health and Science University
  Portland,OR
  Disseminating models for comprehensive statewide tobacco cessation programs  
  9 months, ending 06/30/03   $277,820   ID#044825

• Oregon Pacific Research Institute
  Eugene,OR
  Surveying changes in spit tobacco use among Major and Minor League Baseball players  
  9 months, ending 09/14/02   $97,611   ID#044095

• Oregon Pacific Research Institute
  Eugene,OR
  Promoting tobacco cessation through managed care dental providers  
  3 years, ending 05/31/03   $315,240   ID#038987

• Oregon State University
  Corvallis,OR
  Maternal interventions to stop smoking  
  4 years, ending 09/30/04   $852,684   ID#040669

• State of Oregon Department of Human Resources, Health Division
  Portland,OR
  Evaluation of a statewide collaboration of managed health plans to address tobacco cessation  
  55 months, ending 03/31/03   $332,185   ID#034190

Is anybody listening?  Is anybody reading what is happening to our states?  Look at the above and look at the money that Oregon is already receiving from the RWJ Foundation PLUS the Tobacco Settlement Money!  IS ANYBODY LISTENING???

[SheLion]

Any Oregon Freepers in here? More smokers rights being trampled on! Seems that the smokers just don't care. This pains me so much!

[Just another Joe]

Oregon residents are voting this week on a cigarette tax increase and a boost in school aid in an effort to stem the state's budget problems.
Neither measure faces organized opposition.
Eighteen other states already have raised cigarette taxes this year to help balance their budgets in the midst of the nation's economic slump.

Budget problems? Smokers? No organized opposition?
Yet the tobacco company ALWAYS has shills. Right?
You know She, I had a thought.
Let's LET the states balance their budgets on the backs of smokers. Then when they're dependant on us - we get EVERYONE to start buying on the internet from overseas or stuffing their own.
The states will go bankrupt and we'll be able to BUY our own state.

[brat]

Go to yesmoke.com and purchase there. I get my Camel 100's for $14.95! They come from Switzerland and are reliable. The shipping times are dicey tho....make sure to order early and often to assure a smooth transition. I've had no problems other than that.

[blackie]

My Wife and I are non-smoker's and we voted "NO" on both issues.

The cig tax will pass because 80% of Oregonian's don't smoke.

It's time to harvest Federal and State timber for jobs and revenue !!

Cut Taxes And Cut Spending !!

Death To all Tyrant's !!

The Second Amendment...
America's Original Homeland Security !!

Molon Labe !!