Dear Editor: Proposition II is up for a vote across the state. The increase in tobacco taxes was negotiated to raise funds for a variety of purposes in 2020. How- ever, it turns out, long term evidence supports increased pricing for tobacco products causes youth not to begin, and adults to quit. It is one of the strongest tobacco control measures that exist. And the tobacco industry tends to increase their prices at the same time as increased taxation — and blame it on the tax increase! The tobacco industries are mostly just a few large companies that make incredible profits from their products — which, when used as intended, kill. For example, Philip Morris Incorporated, the largest trans-national tobacco industry (maker of Marlboro cigarettes) made $21 billion in profits last year. No one in the tobacco product retail business needs any tax refund. We should use those "extra" tax dollars to help people quit using these products.