Cigarette Taxes Work Apparently

Not to be public health education campaigns, which I believe are important negative, but the two most important factors that have led to the decline in U.S. smoking in the last ten, caused most of the two two things: smoking bans and excise taxes on cigarettes. If it becomes difficult to smoke in public places and expensive to do so everywhere, people are motivated to quit. An article in the NY Times today caught my attention: In Japan, short of Pfizer drug to help smokers. The focus of the Article, like Pfizer a little unprepared for the smoking cessation drug Chantix excessive demands on the (called Champix in Japan and elsewhere), if the Japanese government was a cigarette tax imposed.
As in the business section, the focus is on sales and Pfizer deal with the situation.However, I am much more interested in the effects of the Japanese cigarette tax on behavior. Japan has a very high rate of smoking than in the U.S.. In 2009, about 40% of Japanese men smoke, to about 24% of U.S. males compared. The Japanese tax was launched in October this year. Previously, the proportion of smokers in Japan fell by about 2%. The tax increases the cost of a pack of cigarettes by about $ 3.60 USD to 4.80 $. sponsored Before tax, campaign by Pfizer, has resulted in sales of Chantix to 70,000 patients in August that was more than 170,000 patients doubled in September (just before the tax) and was grown in October (the New York Times article, such as Pfizer had to suspend rules for new patients because they could not do enough Chantix fast enough to keep up with demand).
The bottom line is that cigarette taxes are effective in the U.S. and Japan seem very effective in excess demand for Chantix and a significant decline in Japanese smokers against the tax. Our economy is not in the best shape, escalating health care costs and respiratory diseases is rising now in the 3rd leading cause of death in the U.S., we should consider increasing tobacco taxes even more.