Everybody including Congress is now ganging up on cigarette smokers. It's time for smokers to research how to grow tobacco in their back yards if they want to continue enjoying the occasional smoke.

As the campaign ads on TV remind us, Democrats in the legislature gave us Measure 50, which will be voted on in October and November. It would raise the state tax on a pack of cigarettes from $1.18 to $2.025 in order to expand a publicly supported medical insurance program that covers children.

But that's not the only increase smokers face. There is one on the federal level too, and of course it too is for "the children."

Sen. Gordon Smith reports, approvingly, that House and Senate leaders in Washington have reached agreement on reauthorizing the federal States Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).

Some $35 billion- with a B - will be dedicated to the program. Smith reports: "The package utilizes a proposal introduced by Senator Smith to implement a 61 cent increase in the cigarette tax and a commensurate increase on all other tobacco products to pay for the cost of the reauthorization."

And by the way, the agreement would ban states from limiting that tax-paid coverage to children whose folks make less than 21/2 times the federal poverty limit. In other words, this federal tobacco will will support insurance coverage not just for kids from low-income families.

It looks as though smokers in Oregon will pay not just the additional 84.5 cents mentioned in the state ballot measure. Instead, the increase will be $1.45 per pack.

The promoters of these tax increases claim they want people to stop smoking. But now, smokers can say they have to continue. For the children, of course. Without all that tobacco being bought and smoked, then children won't be able to go see a doctor when they have an earache.

Smokers have reason to resent being singled out for all this do-gooderism on behalf of children. So they might consider not paying the tax by not buying smokes.

Instead, they might want to cultivate a few plants on their own so now and then, they can dry the leaves, grind them up and puff away. Think of the benefits. No chemicals. No additives. And no tax. (hh)