I-185 would raise tobacco tax to expand Medicaid coverage

Montana smokers could be on the hook for an additional $2 per pack if ballot initiative Initiative 185 passes. The tobacco industry is shelling out big bucks in hopes it won't happen.

It's a big reason your mailbox is stuffed this election season with flyers arguing its pros and cons.

The initiative's backers see its passage as a "win-win." Higher taxes for tobacco products could discourage their use and perhaps reduce medical problems they cause. The extra money raised would help expand Medicaid, the state-federal program that provides medical care to poorer Montanans.

Without the initia...