With budget cuts and tuition increases statewide, the renewal of the cigarette tax and its possible dedication to TOPS revenue doesn’t seem like a bad idea for the University.

The revenue from the tax would provide the state with $12 million.  When matched with federal money, it would redirect more than $40 million to TOPS.

There are approximately 225,000 students in Louisiana public colleges, 43,000 of which are in the TOPS scholarship program. But how many of those students pocket the extra cash?

Higher education is in desperate need of financial help. We have seen budget cuts and tuition increases over the past few years, and nothing seems to be helping as much as we need. We don’t see a problem if smokers are inadvertently funding our education, but isn’t it ironic that the message seems to be that smoking is a good thing?

Smoking is a bad health habit, and there is no denying that. Taxing cigarette sales will hopefully lower smoking while also increasing revenue for higher education. The idea seems to be contradictory, as lowering smoking would mean lowering TOPS funds, but in these times, we’re grateful for every bit of funding for our schools and every bit of good news for our health and environment.

Whether the money from the tax goes to higher education or to health care, another possible option, it will be utilized and benefit us all in some way.

While governor Jindal was not in favor of the cigarette tax originally, he was in favor of the TOPS bill, which may now include the cigarette tax. We applaud state Rep. Harold Ritchie for possibly saving the TOPS bill and cigarette tax despite the governor’s veto.