Nail in the Coffin for Chicago Smokers (sales, house)

[surlycue]

Chicago Cigarette Prices Edge Toward $10; New Federal Tax Hike Coming - cbs2chicago.com (http://cbs2chicago.com/local/chicago.cigarette.prices.2.971135.html - broken link)

Chicago Cigarette Prices Edge Toward $10

New Federal Tax Hike Goes Into Effect Wednesday

CHICAGO (CBS) ―

If you're a smoker in Chicago, you may soon have to part with $10 or more every time you buy a pack of cigarettes.

The single biggest federal tax increase on cigarettes goes into effect on Wednesday. That tax goes from 39 cents to just over $1.01, the single largest federal tobacco tax increase ever.

As it is, the cost of a pack of cigarettes in the city has reached $9.36, the most recent increase following a recent price hike by cigarette manufacturers.

The cost may be driven higher still by a hike in the state cigarette tax, which Gov. Pat Quinn is considering raising by $1 in his current state budget proposal (http://cbs2chicago.com/politics/quinn.budget.release.2.961895.html - broken link). The state cigarette tax is now 98 cents per pack. The increase would be phased in over two years.

Moderator cut: copyright


I'm flying to Florida for a weekend next month. Anyone want me to pick up a few packs at $4 a pop?

[aragx6]

This might be the only good thing about working in the suburbs.-- I'm able to occasionally buy a pack out here. I'm not a regular smoker, just a random one. I once read that something like 20% of smokers never get addicted, and I think I must be impervious to that. I've smoked less than a half a pack a week give or take for, Christ, like 6 years. That also means they'll probably never be expensive enough for me to feel like I have to quit -- I spend more on caffeine each week by far!

When I was in college in Missouri the Walgreens near campus would always have Marlboros on sale for less than $2.50 a pack -- add onto that Missouri's paltry $.27 cig tax and a sales tax of under 7.5% and they never even broke 3 bucks!

[zz4guy]

Dont feel one bit sorry. You get what ya vote for. Suck it up Illinois.

We face the same stupidity in Iowa, albeit on a smaller scale.

[binarybelle]

Isn't the real nail on the coffin for smokers the act of smoking itself?

Just sayin'.

[long101]

Im an occasional smoke but I refuse to buy a pack in the city. If im in the burbs ill pick up a couple packs or have someone bring me some.

[STLCardsBlues1989]

Good grief. Trying to price people out of smoking?

As much as I hate smoking and what it does to people, people have a right to smoke. Hey, Chicago, while you're at it why don't you put excessive taxes on alcohol and fast food?

[lenniel]

If people want to smoke, go ahead, just do it in your house or car and please take a shower, change your clothes and chew some strong gum before you go out in public.

[surlycue]

Originally Posted by STLCardsBlues1989

Good grief. Trying to price people out of smoking?

As much as I hate smoking and what it does to people, people have a right to smoke. Hey, Chicago, while you're at it why don't you put excessive taxes on alcohol and fast food?

It's already been done. We have a soda tax from the loop up to Lakeview (Surf St)

[STLCardsBlues1989]

Originally Posted by lenniel

If people want to smoke, go ahead, just do it in your house or car and please take a shower, change your clothes and chew some strong gum before you go out in public.

I know smokers who are not stinky. Some are, certainly. But I know a lady who smokes only outside. If you didn't see her smoke, you would have no idea that she does. You probably pass people on the street or even see people regularly who do smoke and you have no idea. The idea that smokers smell or are uncaring about personal hygiene is a dangerous and unfair stereotype. And not all smokers (like aragx6 for example) smoke all the time.

Not all people who drink occasionally are smelly alcoholics. And not all people that smoke occasionally are obvious smokers.

[Irishtom29]

Originally Posted by lenniel

If people want to smoke, go ahead, just do it in your house or car and please take a shower, change your clothes and chew some strong gum before you go out in public.

Don't act the ninnyish old schoolmarm. Get used to the idea that there might actually be some unpleasantness in your life and there ain't a goddam thing you can do about it.