Is This Cig. Tax Reasonable?

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-05-2009
Is This Cig. Tax Reasonable?
54
Wed, 04-01-2009 - 12:59pm

The new cigarette taxes take effect today.


I don't roll cigarettes, but I found this to be quite harsh.  The average cost of a pound went from $15.99 to $60.


http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/6352568.html


Are they just haphazardly throwing taxes out here and there, and hoping for the best?  If the real reason is for people to quit smoking.. and they do, what are they going to go after next to make up that revenue?  Should one section of the US be more responsible for child health care than the rest?


I'm disappointed in this new tax.  I don't think it's out of the realm of possibilities that this could cause many stores to fail, and leave people without jobs.


I think smokers are such an easy target that no one's thinking ahead on this issue.


 


 

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-28-2009
Thu, 04-02-2009 - 1:56pm
Some of the additional taxes can be used to support smoking cessation programs etc...
iVillage Member
Registered: 12-25-2008
Thu, 04-02-2009 - 2:17pm
Makes sense.

 


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iVillage Member
Registered: 02-05-2009
Thu, 04-02-2009 - 3:15pm

Then those who are addicted need to seek help rather than the easy way out by taking it out on their children.

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-05-2009
Thu, 04-02-2009 - 3:29pm

Except we don't find the executives of Philip Morris and RJR Reynolds mowing each other down with sub machine guns and decapitating each others families in turf wars.


But hasn't tobacco killed more people, and others by second hand smoke, than this current gang war in Mexico ever has?

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-05-2009
Thu, 04-02-2009 - 3:38pm

If we are going to argue for the government supporting low cost addiction for the sake of the children, again, legal drugs cost a lot less than black market drugs.


Well, I wasn't, but I will answer your question.


Vicodin from a pharmacy costs about $1 a pill, and on the streets $20 +. Isn't that an argument for legalization of drugs?


Wow.

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-05-2009
Thu, 04-02-2009 - 3:44pm

I thought that only the federal tax portion of cigarettes went up 300%, not the cost of a pack of cigarettes going up 300%.


I'm not sure I understand...


I don't have all the figures on the top of my head, it just struck me as unfair that loose tobacco went up 300% because of federal taxes enacted yesterday.


So.. the actual cost to buy a pound of loose tobacco

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-05-2009
Thu, 04-02-2009 - 3:49pm

Let's put it another way....Is it "reasonable" to smoke?


Nope.


I find lots of things not "reasonable" to do, and yet

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-18-2000
Thu, 04-02-2009 - 3:56pm

I gather it's about $1 more per pack.

>"The federal tax on a pack of cigarettes more than tripled to more than one dollar, from 39 cents, the Treasury Department said. For a 10-pack carton, the tax leapt to 10.06 dollars from 3.90 dollars.

Taxes on all other tobacco products increased. Some of the largest hikes were on roll-your-own tobacco, raised to 24.78 dollars per pound from 1.09 dollars, and small cigars, to 50.33 dollars per 1,000 from 1.82 dollars.

The tobacco tax hikes were part of the Children?s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act signed into law by President Barack Obama on February 4."<
See link for more.....
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gGrrC0sRMiQ9OLGvb3Iy-eWtdovQ

Photobucket

 


Photobucket&nbs

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-05-2009
Thu, 04-02-2009 - 4:04pm

Thank you for the figures.


I also don't want my son to start smoking tobacco (like he did in high school.) Lucky for us, he has quit, and expressed a real distaste for it since.


iVillage Member
Registered: 01-28-2009
Thu, 04-02-2009 - 4:05pm

<>

...But IS it "unfair"?

As for restricting certain activities, particularly the unreasonable ones (which isn't quite the same as the tax issue) is that a problem? For example, is it "unfair" to restrict where a person can smoke....At what age they can buy cigarettes...etc?

<>

Well that's a whole 'nother kettle of fish - one I'm reluctant to tackle in this thread. Thankfully it doesn't ave anything to do with the subject at hand *whew*.

<>

I'm familiar with whom you speak (and I have a lot of respect for his debating style...and many of his views on a number of subjects). We do not see eye to eye on the gun issue (but as a Canadian, owning weapons has never part of our constitution). Anyway, I've long learned to let that debate rest because he certainly is a formidable opponent and always has all of his arguments neatly lined up on this subject. I just don't have the same passion or staying power....LOL!

I have to ask YOU though....How is increasing taxes on tobacco actually taking anyone's rights away?




Edited 4/2/2009 4:10 pm ET by moxysuvous