I started when I was around 18 years old. I started after working at a gas station for two years, at first I bought those cigarillos you can buy as sort of a joke, something to do because hey, I could.

After awhile I bought cigarettes. I don't know why. None of my friends smoked. It wasn't because of peer pressure. Eventually several of us smoked.

My dad is a doctor. I knew at the time the dangers of smoking, and I still do know. I was the D.A.R.E student of the year in the fourth grade, I wrote a report then on why smoking was terrible for you. I read it to the entire school. Some good that did.

I can't tell you why I smoke, but I do. It relieves stress for me, its something to do at work, and its really, really hard to quit.

I can't tell you why I started, but it doesn't even matter. I am smoking now, and i'm still aware of how terrible it is for my health.

Do I want to quit? Yes.

Do I have the motivation? No.

I support the tax increase. It will make it harder for me to smoke and keep my tight budget in line. It will force me to quit.

I don't care how addicted I am. If i'm paying seven dollars for a pack of cigarettes a day, it'll come down to me smoking or paying rent. It will force me to find a solution. Already I can barely afford smoking. It is one cost I can afford to give up.

The one suggestion I can give to the government is to pay for physical solutions to help people quit. I realize they have hotlines and classes to help people quit, but often times the nicotine addiction is what needs to be culled. If they could invest some of that tax into helping addicted smokers involved with hotlines that already exist get coupons for nicotine products, there might be more success.

All I know, is I want to quit.