What does it take to prevent a person from buying a pack of smokes? It doesn't seem that banning cigarette commercials from television has done the job. Nor does it appear that ending the reign of ads like Joe the Camel has deterred younger people from taking up the habit. Could it be that slapping higher taxes on cigarettes makes a difference?

Currently 43 states have implemented a higher cigarette tax since 2002. The average amount of taxes went from just $0.43 per pack to $1.07. With every increase states have seen a decrease in younger people buying smokes. The higher taxes are giving the participating states more revenue to channel into health care a smoking prevention programs.

Just think if cigarette taxes were raised a bit more. What then? Fewer kids buying smokes and more revenue for health care? Sounds like a good thought to me.

The television industry just might owe a bit of its success to the tobacco industry. Cigarette producers were one of the earliest and most consistent advertisers on TV. Big tobacco had large pools of money and were able to take a chance on the new medium of television when it first debuted in the 1940's.

At a time when many sponsors were financially unable to buy advertising spots or unwilling to try TV ads, tobacco companies found opportunities to attach strings to their endorsements. Many shows were required to feature characters smoking during the shows. Stars were expected to use cigarettes and show their enthusiasm for the products. Popular shows such as I Love Lucy showed Lucy happily fetching a smoke for husband and exclaiming, "You see how easy it is to keep your man happy?!"

After television gained popularity and many consumers began to question the health of cigarettes, the products were banned from the air waves. For a more in depth look at this piece of television history, click here.