(Washington, DC)  --  As federal taxes on cigarettes rise on April 1st, public health experts believe the added cost could prompt up to one million people to kick the smoking habit.

   Taxes are going up to just over a dollar per pack from 39 cents a pack to finance a health insurance program for low-income kids called S-CHIP.

   The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says smoking claims 440,000 lives a year in the U.S. and also costs $193-billion in medical expenses and lost productivity.

   On the flipside, the National Association of Tobacco Outlets said the higher taxes will cost as many as 117,000 jobs due to a projected a 10-percent decline in cigarette sales.


   (Copyright 2009 by Newsroom Solutions)