Smoking Tax
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Well the federal governments smoking tax is now in effect and I was wondering what everyone thought about it? This isn't really partisan b/c both sides at the State and Federal level have levied them. I am sure that most non-smokers (and even some smokers) could give two rats azz about "sin" taxes such as this BUT:
1) How can the government talk out both sides on this one; "we want you to quit do to the health consequences" but "we really need some additional funding while you are smoking so we're going to charge you 1.01 each pack of smokes you buy"?
2) This is setting up to be a straw man argument on a bunch of goods in the long run. B/C eventually the price of smokes is going to 'thin' the smoking heard- then revenue goes down b/c of lack of smokers- then we have to tax something else to keep paying for program X.
-Point being, unless the amount of smokers starts to grow or at least stay steady they ("THEM") are going to have to supplement revenue with some new tax.
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Well the federal governments smoking tax is now in effect and I was wondering what everyone thought about it? This isn't really partisan b/c both sides at the State and Federal level have levied them. I am sure that most non-smokers (and even some smokers) could give two rats azz about "sin" taxes such as this BUT:
1) How can the government talk out both sides on this one; "we want you to quit do to the health consequences" but "we really need some additional funding while you are smoking so we're going to charge you 1.01 each pack of smokes you buy"?
2) This is setting up to be a straw man argument on a bunch of goods in the long run. B/C eventually the price of smokes is going to 'thin' the smoking heard- then revenue goes down b/c of lack of smokers- then we have to tax something else to keep paying for program X.
-Point being, unless the amount of smokers starts to grow or at least stay steady they ("THEM") are going to have to supplement revenue with some new tax.
How can the government talk out both sides on this one; "we want you to quit do to the health consequences" but "we really need some additional funding while you are smoking so we're going to charge you 1.01 each pack of smokes you buy"?
What does one thing really have to do with the other?
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How can the government talk out both sides on this one; "we want you to quit do to the health consequences" but "we really need some additional funding while you are smoking so we're going to charge you 1.01 each pack of smokes you buy"?
What does one thing really have to do with the other?
mz. said:
What does one thing really have to do with the other?Maybe they don't; at the very least they are being disingenuous. By their own studies and warnings they acknowledge that nicotine is one of the most addictive 'drugs'. And they are taking advantage of that knowing that people will keep buying them no matter the tax. At the same time they rail about the health care drain that smoker's put on the system. I could be wrong but wasn't that one of the rationals behind the Big Tobacco lawsuits?
So they've put children's health care on the back of smoker's, while maintaining they would 'prefer' everyone to quit. That doesn't seem a bit odd to you?
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They're not being disingenuous at all. They are saying something's bad for you, they are not calling it illegal. Then they are taxing the product. Fine by me.
mz. said:
They're not being disingenuous at all. They are saying something's bad for you, they are not calling it illegal. Then they are taxing the product. Fine by me.Fair enough, the federal tax (at least here in OH) now represents a little under 20% of the total cost(1.01/5.55). You're not worried at all which product is going to be taxed next is if a decent amount of smoker's quit? If it were Coffee or Soda Pop that got taxed to make up for revenue would that bother you?
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