Smokers, will you quit or will you break the law? (gas prices, illegal)
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FOXNews.com - States' Budget Woes Ignites Debate Over Raising Tobacco Taxes
A proposal to states from health advocates to raise the state taxes on cigarettes by another $1 per pack. Their argument is that it will help raise money for the state while reducing the number of smokers and reducing the amount of young people to take up smoking. Opponents say it'll hurt poor people the most and cause a further increase in blackmarket cigarette sales which are illegal and bypasses taxes.
I'm all for everyone quitting smoking. I'm just worried that with so much of the states' budgets coming from cigarette taxes, what are they going to increase taxes on to make up for the loss of cigarette tax revenue? Will alcohol prices double from taxes (beer, wine, and other spirits)? Will gas prices jump from tax increases? What about food and clothing?
So to all you smokers, if your state raises taxes by $1 per pack,...what will you do? Will you keep paying and smoking as usual? Cut back on smoking? Quit smoking? Or buy on the blackmarket?
Location: The Chatterdome in La La Land, CaliFUNia
39,031 posts, read 23,027,552 times
Reputation: 36027
Quote:
Originally Posted by sailordave
FOXNews.com - States' Budget Woes Ignites Debate Over Raising Tobacco Taxes
A proposal to states from health advocates to raise the state taxes on cigarettes by another $1 per pack. Their argument is that it will help raise money for the state while reducing the number of smokers and reducing the amount of young people to take up smoking. Opponents say it'll hurt poor people the most and cause a further increase in blackmarket cigarette sales which are illegal and bypasses taxes.
I'm all for everyone quitting smoking. I'm just worried that with so much of the states' budgets coming from cigarette taxes, what are they going to increase taxes on to make up for the loss of cigarette tax revenue? Will alcohol prices double from taxes (beer, wine, and other spirits)? Will gas prices jump from tax increases? What about food and clothing?
So to all you smokers, if your state raises taxes by $1 per pack,...what will you do? Will you keep paying and smoking as usual? Cut back on smoking? Quit smoking? Or buy on the blackmarket?
I'm not a smoker so I cannot really answer your questions. I just thought the arguments touted by the opponents of this tax about this hurting the poor the most was interesting. Wouldn't it benefit the poor financially to give up smoking as cigarettes aren't cheap? This is one area which I have little sympathy over. If you are poor, your money should not go towards cigarettes anyways.
I'm not a smoker so I cannot really answer your questions. I just thought the arguments touted by the opponents of this tax about this hurting the poor the most was interesting. Wouldn't it benefit the poor financially to give up smoking as cigarettes aren't cheap? This is one area which I have little sympathy over. If you are poor, your money should not go towards cigarettes anyways.
I agree except that there have been an increase in armed robberies in which cigarettes were taken along with cash. In one recent case, the thief did a grab and run. Instead of quitting, some are now stealing.
I agree except that there have been an increase in armed robberies in which cigarettes were taken along with cash. In one recent case, the thief did a grab and run. Instead of quitting, some are now stealing.
Tobacco has finally surpassed Federal Reserve Notes in value.
Go to google or bing and type in "cigarette thefts". I was shocked at the number of hits that came up reporting an increase in cigarette thefts. I'll post the links of some here. Cigarette Theft
Some retailers have reported an increase in cigarette theft. There are several factors that can contribute to why cigarettes might be a targeted item by thieves: they can carry a increasingly high price tag, can be easily resold, are easily transportable and are in constant demand. Cigarette thefts rising in NRV - Roanoke.com
But cigarettes were the apparent target of a break-in late the night of Oct. 11 at the store, which sits just off U.S. 460 on Virginia 42. Someone rammed a pickup truck into the double glass doors and took about 60 cartons -- worth nearly $2,600 -- from behind the counter in less than a minute.
Daily Herald | Massive cigarette theft from East Peoria warehouse (http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=353849&src=110 - broken link)
EAST PEORIA -- Police in East Peoria say cartons of cigarettes worth many thousands -- or perhaps even several millions -- of dollars were stolen during a break-in at the Federal Warehouse Co.
Cigarette Thefts - Bowling Green / Warren County Crime Stoppers - Call 781-CLUE (http://www.bgky.org/crimestoppers/cotwdetail.php?id=152 - broken link)
Over the past few weeks, someone has broken into several grocery stores, convenient marts and tobacco shops and stole cartons of cigarettes. During each burglary the suspect stole 30-40 cartons of cigarettes, placed them in a large duffle bag and fled the scene
http://www.stategazette.com/story/1586140.html
Dusty B. Haynes, 28, 312 S. Hazel in Halls, was given an effective eight-year sentence after pleading guilty to burglary and theft of property less than $500. He was accused of entering the Murphy USA building on Dec. 18 and stealing 12 cartons of cigarettes, valued at $460. He received an eight-year sentence for the burglary and a concurrent 11-month, 29-day sentence for the theft. He was ordered to pay $480.48 restitution to Murphy USA.
Location: The Chatterdome in La La Land, CaliFUNia
39,031 posts, read 23,027,552 times
Reputation: 36027
Quote:
Originally Posted by sailordave
Go to google or bing and type in "cigarette thefts". I was shocked at the number of hits that came up reporting an increase in cigarette thefts. I'll post the links of some here. Cigarette Theft
Some retailers have reported an increase in cigarette theft. There are several factors that can contribute to why cigarettes might be a targeted item by thieves: they can carry a increasingly high price tag, can be easily resold, are easily transportable and are in constant demand. Cigarette thefts rising in NRV - Roanoke.com
But cigarettes were the apparent target of a break-in late the night of Oct. 11 at the store, which sits just off U.S. 460 on Virginia 42. Someone rammed a pickup truck into the double glass doors and took about 60 cartons -- worth nearly $2,600 -- from behind the counter in less than a minute.
Daily Herald | Massive cigarette theft from East Peoria warehouse (http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=353849&src=110 - broken link)
EAST PEORIA -- Police in East Peoria say cartons of cigarettes worth many thousands -- or perhaps even several millions -- of dollars were stolen during a break-in at the Federal Warehouse Co.
Cigarette Thefts - Bowling Green / Warren County Crime Stoppers - Call 781-CLUE (http://www.bgky.org/crimestoppers/cotwdetail.php?id=152 - broken link)
Over the past few weeks, someone has broken into several grocery stores, convenient marts and tobacco shops and stole cartons of cigarettes. During each burglary the suspect stole 30-40 cartons of cigarettes, placed them in a large duffle bag and fled the scene
Dyersburg State Gazette: Local News: Cigarette theft brings 8-year sentence (11/11/09)
Dusty B. Haynes, 28, 312 S. Hazel in Halls, was given an effective eight-year sentence after pleading guilty to burglary and theft of property less than $500. He was accused of entering the Murphy USA building on Dec. 18 and stealing 12 cartons of cigarettes, valued at $460. He received an eight-year sentence for the burglary and a concurrent 11-month, 29-day sentence for the theft. He was ordered to pay $480.48 restitution to Murphy USA.
So is the solution lowering the price of cigarettes just to placate the criminals?
I'm not a smoker so I cannot really answer your questions. I just thought the arguments touted by the opponents of this tax about this hurting the poor the most was interesting. Wouldn't it benefit the poor financially to give up smoking as cigarettes aren't cheap? This is one area which I have little sympathy over. If you are poor, your money should not go towards cigarettes anyways.
First they came for the Communists, but I was not a Communist, so I said nothing.
Then they came for the Social Democrats, but I was not a Social Democrat, so I did nothing.
Then came the trade unionists, but I was not a trade unionist.
And then they came for the Jews, but I was not a Jew, so I did little.
Then when they came for me, there was no one left to stand up for me.
Location: Somewhere gray and damp, close to the West Coast
20,955 posts, read 5,548,997 times
Reputation: 8559
Quote:
Originally Posted by guyntexas
first they came for the communists, but i was not a communist, so i said nothing.
Then they came for the social democrats, but i was not a social democrat, so i did nothing.
Then came the trade unionists, but i was not a trade unionist.
And then they came for the jews, but i was not a jew, so i did little.
Then when they came for me, there was no one left to stand up for me.
By rev. Martin niemoller, 1945
get it?
+100
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