Beginning January 1st, an additional $1 dollar cigarette tax will be added to each pack of cigarettes purchased in Texas. CBS 11 News is reporting that this will raise the price of a pack of cigarettes to $4 dollars, or ten more dollars a carton, and smokers are stocking up on cartons of cigarettes before the tax hike goes into effect.

In the past, states that have increased taxing of cigarettes have seen a positive effect on the number of people who quit smoking, for no other reason than purchasing cigarettes becomes too cost prohibitive. The American Cancer Society (ACS) is looking forward to this happening, as they predict it will keep 300,000 people from starting up and cause 100,000 current smokers in Texas to quit.

Smoking has indeed become an expensive habit since the days when the government gave away cartons of cigarettes to World War II soldiers in the belief it calmed their nerves.

Meanwhile, back in Texas, CBS 11 News quoted Discount Cigarettes manager Patrick Ingram as saying, "Every state has their own tax, so you're not supposed to take large quantities across the border. So, people will go buy truck loads and bring across the border, or just steal."

That's probably true, to a lesser extent, but the ACS is right, the increased overall price for a pack of cigarettes when the new tax is implemented will prompt more people to quit smoking and deter even more from starting a habit that is not only increasingly expensive but just plain bad for your health.

Smoking is not an easy habit to break, and of the many methods tried, only a handful seem to work. Of the methods that do seem to work -- nicotine-replacement products; bupropion drugs; counseling; classes; calling a helpline or talking to a health professional -- younger smokers between the ages of 16 and 24 years who smoke and try to quit only use one of the recommended methods of help by talking to a professional. Because of this, younger smokers are less likely to be successful in quitting, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

During the 2003 National Youth Smoking Cessation Survey, the CDC found that younger smokers most often tried to quit smoking by cutting back on the number of cigarettes they smoked each day; not buying cigarettes; exercising; using the buddy system and trying to quit with a friend; telling others they were quitting and changing to a lighter brand of cigarette, switching to chewing tobacco, snuff, or other tobacco products. None of these methods are recommended by the US Public Health Service.

According to the National Youth Smoking Cessation Survey, 77 percent of younger smokers have tried to quit at least once without success. Over a third have tried to quit smoking numerous times without success. Researchers suggest that many younger smokers may need help with other high-risk behaviors such as binge drinking; depression or ADD/ADHD.

If you are a younger smoker who is trying to quit, the CDC encourages you to call 1-800-QUIT-NOW or talk to your physician about methods that might lead to more success. The 2-page summary of the National Youth Smoking Cessation Survey is available as a pdf document.

This past summer, a man in the business of helping smokers quit, was diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer. Just months later, anti-smoking guru Allen Carr lost his battle with cancer. On November 29th, Carr died at his home in Malaga, Spain.

A heavy smoker for 33 years before quitting 23 years ago, Carr claimed to have found an easy way to quit smoking. From that discovery, he founded The Easy Way to Stop Smoking Program, which would eventually grow into 70 clinics in 30 countries. In addition, his company publishes how-to quit smoking books, CDs, tapes and DVDs.

Using cognitive therapy, Carr told smokers interested in quitting that they could do it without willpower, without suffering withdrawal and without gaining weight. The celebrity endorsements for his program include Sir Anthony Hopkins, Sean Bean, Marie Helvin, Johnny Cash, George Harrison, Lisa Stansfield, Sir Richard Branson, Britney Spears, Susannah York, Bruce Oldfield, Stefano Gabbana and Julie Christie.

Carr is credited with helping over 25 million people to quit smoking.

An Easy Way to Stop Smoking Program clinic spokesperson was quoted as saying, "Allen spent many years in smoke-filled rooms after he quit, while treating smokers for addiction. He is certain that had he not quit, he would have died 20 years ago." Near the time of his death, Carr wrote a letter to Tony Blair urging his government and NHS to accept the easy method program. Carr was 72.

Oregon Senator Ron Wyden is introducing a new proposal to provide affordable, high quality, private health coverage for everyone regardless of where they work or live with the Healthy Americans Act.

"The Healthy Americans Act provides a guarantee -- health coverage for every American that is at least as good as Members of Congress receive and can never be taken away," Wyden explained. "The Act provides universal coverage for no more money than our country spends today. Better care, financial health and security, no increase in costs."

The plan outlines an approach to success by eliminating inefficiency, trips to the emergency room and incentives for prevention and wellness as the primary focus of health care. In addition, the plan provides tough cost containment and saves $1.48 trillion over ten years; and is fully paid for by spending the $2.2 trillion currently spent on health care in America.

"We're here because it is time to fix health care," Wyden added. "After decades of talk and study, it's time for action. Fixing health care is not as complicated as one might think."

Basically, every American will have access to the same opportunity and level of health care coverage that the members of Congress enjoy now. The full text of the 166-page Healthy Americans Act is available as a PDF document.

In a recent study, researchers found that the opiate blocking drug naltrexone, used to treat alcoholics and heroin addicts, was effective in helping some women kick the smoking habit. In addition, the researchers reported that naltrexone prevented the weight gain that often follows when women quit smoking.

Participants in the study were divided into two groups. One group was given a combination of drug therapy, behavioral counseling sessions, and nicotine patches. The other group was given a placebo, behavioral counseling sessions, and nicotine patches. For women receiving naltrexone, 58 percent were still not smoking eight weeks later. Six months later, some had taken up the smoking habit again, but some had remained free of the habit.

Naltrexone did not appear to provide a benefit for men trying to quit smoking.

"Women have historically had less success than men in giving up cigarettes," said study author Andrea King, PhD, associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Chicago. "In this small study, naltrexone seems to have closed that gap."

The study, Efficacy of Naltrexone in Women's Smoking Cessation, is currently ongoing and recruiting new patients.

While public and private groups, along with researchers and a few drug companies, have been making serious efforts to help smokers quit smoking cigarettes, the tobacco industry has been spiking the level of nicotine in cigarettes, according to a study by the Department of Public Health. Between the years 1998 to 2004, the amount of nicotine in cigarettes has risen by ten percent.

According to Lois Keithly , director of the Massachusetts Tobacco Control Program, "We in public health have tried to spend a lot of time figuring out why people don't stop smoking."

Full withdrawal will be felt after the first day of not smoking. But symptoms from nicotine withdrawal are felt within the first 30 minutes after the last cigarette, with smokers reporting cravings within the first hour after the last cigarette. In one hour, smokers reported anger. In three hours of smoking cessation, smokers reported heightened levels of anxiety, sadness and difficulty concentrating. Nicotine is what makes cigarettes so addictive.

The Boston Globe reports when contacted, representatives of the three major tobacco makers in the US declined to comment on the study and would not answer questions about the nicotine content of their products.

ABC World News Tonight partnered with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Cancer Institute and the North American Quitline Consortium to present a special series Quit to Live. According to statistics, approximately 440,000 Americans will die from smoking-related illnesses this year. A more encouraging statistic is while there are 46 million smokers, for the first time, there are more ex-smokers than smokers.

The Quit to Live series is a comprehensive resource for the 70 percent of smokers who have indicated they are interested in quitting. At Quit to Live, you can watch the complete special series coverage in video broadcast reports; watch broadcast plus exclusive web-only content; view the videoblogs of Tracy, Jose, Meg and Alyce; how to quit thinking about quitting and compare different methods and find groups that can help.

You can read ABC medical editor Dr. Tim Johnson and experts from the nation's leading cancer centers answers to questions about smoking at Ask Tim. In addition to original reports and reviewed resources, they offer community to connect with others. This week, ABC News revisited the Quit to Live special series on the anniversary of Peter Jennings death to lung cancer. Any smoker interested in quitting will find this special series of great value -- you might want to start by watching the video Expert Interview on How to Quit.

Pfizer announced that Chantix (varenicline), a drug designed to help smokers quit smoking, is now available in US pharmacies. This is the first new prescription drug for smoking cessation treatment approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in a decade. When prescribed Chantix, smokers will be offered a chance to participate in a behavioral modification program called GETQUIT Support Plan at no extra cost.

Chantix acts on the areas of the brain affected by nicotine and helps those who smoke cigarettes to quit smoking in two ways: by providing some nicotine effects to ease the withdrawal symptoms and by blocking the effects of nicotine from cigarettes if they start smoking again. There is no magic bullet here, although in clinical trials the drug quadrupled the chances of a smoker quitting and was shown to be twice as effective as the currently prescribed drug Zyban.

Pfizer Helpful Answers has a program available for people without prescription coverage. People with low incomes may even qualify for free medications. For more information about Chantix and the free GETQUIT program, visit the Chantix website.

A man in the business of helping smokers quit, has been diagnosed with lung cancer. Allen Carr, who was a heavy smoker for 33 years, found what he claimed was an easy way to quit smoking after he quit smoking 23 years ago. Using cognitive therapy, Carr told smokers interested in quitting that they could do it without willpower, without suffering withdrawal and without gaining weight. The celebrity endorsements include Sir Anthony Hopkins, Sean Bean, Marie Helvin, Johnny Cash, George Harrison, Lisa Stansfield, Sir Richard Branson, Susannah York, Bruce Oldfield, Stefano Gabbana and Julie Christie.

Carr believes his lung cancer diagnosis might be the result of second-hand smoke after spending the last 23 years in the presence of his clients who signed up for his Easy Way to Stop Smoking program.

On being diagnosed with lung cancer, Carr was quoted as saying, "I have been the happiest man in the world since I stopped smoking 23 years ago and I still feel the same way. This has come as a shock but I remain very upbeat."

In addition to his quit smoking workshops, Carr wrote a book Alan Carr's Easy Way to Stop Smoking, which has sold more than 10 million copies in more than 45 countries. He claims his Easy Way to Stop Smoking method has a 53 percent success rate after 12 months compared with less than 5 percent for those who go cold turkey. Easy Way maintains a website.

According to experts, nicotine alone is not a cancer-causing agent. However, Srikumar Chellappan and University of South Florida researchers report that nicotine does promote cancer by stimulating cancer cells in the growth of lung cancer tumors.

The researchers explain that tobacco smoke contains a variety of tobacco-specific carcinogens, many of which are derivatives of nicotine that are formed during the curing of tobacco. Researchers studied receptors that bind nicotine, known as nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, nAChRs, and found this process to be in part responsible in the cell proliferation and the progression of lung cancer tumors.

The research article Nicotine induces cell proliferation in its entirety is available online as a PDF document.

The White Rock city council has asked the city's social and economic development committees to study a proposal that would ban the sale of all tobacco products in their small idyllic seaside town, and report back on its feasibility.

Councilman Matt Todd, who proposed the ban, said "I got tons of calls and e-mails from people who are asthmatics or just allergic to cigarettes or had family members die from smoke, or were cancer researchers or worked in cancer wards. Clearly this is a public dialogue that people are wanting to have."

According to news reporting, if the city council approves the ban, White Rock will become the first city in Canada to ban outright the sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products. White Rock is located on the southern coast of British Columbia, Canada.

Women who smoke are twice as likely than men to be diagnosed with lung cancer but less likely to die from the disease.

This is the result of a study done by New York-Presbyterian Hospital Weill Cornell Medical Center researchers who cannot explain why women who smoke are at greater risk for lung cancer -- only that this is the conclusion of the research data.

As a result, they are recommending women who smoke be tested earlier and more frequently for lung cancer. In addition, they feel earlier intervention in warning campaigns about smoking and smoking cessation programs should be made available to women at a younger age -- ideally when they are still teens.

Early intervention is always a good idea. Even if you only reach some of the minds of young women and prevent them from starting a habit with the potential to kill them, it's worth the effort. Here's the problem as I see it. Unless I am wrong, and missed something, there is no really great method to screen for the earliest stage of lung cancer.

Almost two months ago, we posted that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, FDA, was fast-tracking a potentially promising new drug to help smokers quit smoking. In earlier clinical trials, Chantix, varenicline tartrate, worked in ways that previous smoking cessation drugs did not, indicating a higher success rate where other drugs had failed.

Chantix acts on the areas of the brain affected by nicotine and helps those who smoke cigarettes to quit smoking in two ways: by providing some nicotine effects to ease the withdrawal symptoms and by blocking the effects of nicotine from cigarettes if they start smoking again.

Now, according to three studies published in the July 5 Journal of the American Medical Association, it is being reported that Chantix quadruples the chances that a smoker can quit smoking and is twice as effective as the currently prescribed drug Zyban. Keep in mind though, the research was funded by the drug maker, Pfizer, and experts warn that the drug is far from a perfect solution for smokers trying to quit -- and "definitely not a panacea for smoking cessation."

According to Dr. Steven Galson, Director of FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, "Chantix therapy has proven to be effective in smokers motivated to quit and will provide another tool for physicians to use for the millions of smokers who want to quit." I believe this is a more realistic assessment of the ability of a medication designed to help smokers quit smoking.

UPDATE: Chantix: quit smoking drug now available in US pharmacies.

The University of Wisconsin Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention is conducting a study on NicVAX, an injectable nicotine vaccine, to determine how effective it might be in helping smoker's quit smoking cigarettes. In addition to the experimental vaccine, participants in the study will receive quit-smoking counseling.

"We are pleased to have been selected to test an experimental nicotine vaccine - a potentially important advance in treating tobacco addiction," says Michael Fiore, UW-CTRI director. "In this study, we will examine how the vaccine can help smokers break free of their dependence on tobacco - by reducing the effects of nicotine on the brain."

According to the researchers, every year 300,000 Wisconsin residents try to quit smoking and only one in 20 smokers who attempt to quit smoking cold turkey succeed. Because of the high-volume of volunteer interest, this study is closed to further participants. However, a second study by the Wisconsin Smokers' Health Study is still accepting new participants for an investigation into various stop-smoking treatments.

If you plan to use the nicotine patch to quit smoking, it would be nice to know up front if it's going to work. Because nothing is more discouraging than making an attempt at something and believing you have help -- only to find out the help was no help at all. The problem seems to be in the basic fact that nicotine metabolizes in the body at different rates for different people. The higher the metabolism rate, the more cravings a smoker experiences. The more cravings, the less likely a standard nicotine patch will be effective. Researchers believe that a simple blood test to measure the rate at which a smoker metabolizes nicotine can predict the success or failure outcome of a smoking cessation program using the patch.

"If a prospective study replicates these results, we will be in a position to recommend this blood test to tailor the type and dose of nicotine replacement therapy for smokers who wish to quit," states Caryn Lerman, PhD, Associate Director for Cancer Control at the Abramson Cancer Center and Director of the University of Pennsylvania Transdisciplinary Tobacco Use Research Center.

Here's what I am thinking -- if they know how the body metabolizes nicotine to satisfy the addictive cravings for nicotine, why can't they come up with something that blocks the process before it begins? Thereby making smoking a completely unsatisfactory experience. Just a thought.