We have already had huge increases in cigarette taxes in the midwest, the east coast, California, etc. and most smokers in those states keep on paying whatever increase the tax is.
Only a few smokers seem to either quit, or roll their own, but the overwelming majority, keep buying state taxed cigarettes regardless of how high the tax is.
So, if a states again raises the cigarette tax again and again, there is no reason to think that smokers will all of a sudden break the law - they havent so far, so why would they start?
What is the tax in NY? $6? and they still keep paying it, so if there is another $6 tax, it will just be be more of the same.
It is like 30 years ago when new cars sold for $2000 , each time an increase happened, lots of people said they would never buy a new car that cost over $3000, or over $5000, or over $10,000, etc, but each time they did.
Many in Massachusetts are getting their cigarettes from New Hampshire and even getting them from other sources which I won't mention.
Smokers may have a habit that some don't like, but smokers are not stupid.
As far as the car simile----not the same thing.When car prices went up it was because everything went up,an inflationary rise in price,but the cigarettes are going up because of taxes which vary from state to state,and then those taxes are used to fund budget shortfalls in other areas.
I remember when coffee was 5 cents at many lunch counters and now a small costs about $1.25----and this is the cheap coffee. The price didn't rise because of taxes.