Deb Courson Smith reports that a long-rumored bill to boost the state tobacco tax gets a print hearing today at the Idaho Legislature.   The bill’s stated goal isn’t to increase state revenue, but to keep kids from ever picking up the smoking habit.

Heidi Low, state director of government relations for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, says the tobacco tax is the most cost-effective measure to prevent smoking. The tax increase would be $1.25 cents per pack, she says. …