Facing certain budget deficits, 22 states, including Michigan, are looking to squeeze a few extra pennies from the backs of smokers. That’s not a bad idea.

All 50 states should jump at the opportunity to boost revenues and discourage smoking. It’s a win-win situation.

Michigan lawmakers are considering a 25-cent increase on the state’s current 75-cent per-pack cigarette tax. But why settle for pennies when there is silver to be had?

The Wolverine state should be more aggressive in its actions and take lessons from other states like New Hampshire and Oklahoma, which are considering raising taxes on cigarettes by $1 from their current levels of 52 and 23 cents, respectively.

If lawmakers seriously want to deter smoking via taxes, they need to be more aggressive in their means.

A penny here and a penny there isn’t hurting anyone’s pocketbook. But up the ante a dollar or more and now we’re talking.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg offered the best scenario.

He wants to raise his city’s tax on cigarettes from 8 cents per pack to $1.50. That’s combined with his state’s recent 39-cent per-pack tax increase.

As of April 1, the Empire State’s cigarette tax will become $1.50 per pack, the highest rate in the nation.

If Bloomberg has his way, an average pack of cigarettes in New York city will cost nearly $7.

Health officials across the nation have attributed the drop in the U.S. adult smoking rate during the 1990s to a combination of high taxes, no-smoking laws and public service campaigns.

Since 1993, the American Medical Association has advocated higher cigarette taxes as means of discouraging smoking.

Petty increases like 25 cents won’t help better the nation’s health, but loftier tax hikes will.

If Michigan lawmakers are seriously concerned with the health of state residents, they should be more aggressive with cigarette tax hikes.