Can we smoke enough to solve this? Yes We Can!
Can we all go buy a carton today? Yes We Can!
Can we get little Jane and Betsy and Tom started a year early? Yes We Can!
Can we all give that guy on the street a few extra when he bummed you for two already-probably because he doesn't try to find work and his welfare credit card is empty despite the fact this high-school dropout totally voted for Obama wantin' mo-a-dat gov chedda?
Yes We Can!
Who in the world would loan against future cig sales? These policy makers of today keep setting the bar a little higher.

Well i'll continue to smoke...tobacco companies can be sure i will be giving them my hard earned money...is that what this thread is about?

Thanks to the both of you for posting.
You said you were not surprised. I kind of was. When money is marked for specif programs, I was thinking the law was behind it being used on those programs, silly me I suppose.
It seems big tobacco will not be leveing any time soon.

OK, flamethrowers at the ready, everyone.

I am actually glad to see this. Not because I like government corruption and coercion with big business. Not because I am against anti-smoking educational programs. Not because I want to see people die of cancer.

But because you all (the anti-smokers) went too far.

I cannot smoke in any public building in the country. I cannot smoke in any restaurant by law in quite a few states, and most larger cities. I can no longer smoke in truck stops by law in most areas of the country. I cannot smoke outside in some areas. In some cities, there are ordinances that prevent people form smoking in their own yard, and I have heard of legislation in a few that attempt to limit smoking in a person's own home if there are children in the household.

ENOUGH!

No one will get any sympathy from me on this subject. If I had my way, I would propose laws that required everyone in America to smoke at least two cigarettes per day... not from any desire to actually force that on anyone, but to let people know that this abuse of power can go both ways.

Go, Philip-Morris!

TheRedneck

New York is stupid to securitize theres. Even in small towns in upstate new york it costs $5 a pack.

I love to drink alcohol and i enjoy a good smoke here and there. I am responsible with it though; no getting drunk, no pack a day for me. I do not like the idea of a "sin tax" levied against certain demographics.

Anyone who doesn't expect the state's (and cities') huge budget shortfalls to be partly absorbed by higher and brand new sin taxes is fooling themselves. I won't be surprised if a pack of smokes is running an additional $3-$4 by this time next year, booze will be an extra 20% a bottle at least, hell by then they'll probably have porno taxes and it certainly is in the pipeline to start special sin taxes for "junk" and fast food.

I also would like to shake the hand of anyone who believes that this war against big tobacco (or any other addictive or harmfull substance or consumable) had anything whatsoever to do with government worrying about our health & longevity because I've always desired to meet the most gulible, doe-eyed human being on Earth. It was purely a financial decision by the government. The insurance companies were riding the government's back because health care costs were going up, up, up thanks to smoking related illnesses and the insurance companies saw their profit margins from federal assistance dwindling because of that fact. They sold the idea to the governments that tobacco taxes could be raised to help offset the higher costs and, meanwhile, lawsuits and penalties could be levied against the tobacco companies, themselves, to sweeten the deal and put a little extra dinero into the government coffers.

Believe me, somewhere in Washington the plans are already being drawn up to take advantage of the fact that McDonald's corp. is successfull and posting big profits. As a smoker and a Dollar Menunaire, I gladly throw the middle finger up at anyone who thinks it is their right or responsibillity to "save me" from my own vices by taxing the hell out of me. I throw both middle finger into the face of anyone who taxes me under those false pretenses when in reality they're just looking to get more money out of my wallet and into their grubby little hands. Want to guess how many fingers I'm currently holding up?

Cigarettes are a bonanza for government. I don't know how true this is but I bet you government has made more money off cigarettes than the cigarettes companies have. I remember prior to suing them the government was heavily invested in these companies. Then the government sued them and made a collective group of lawyers rich. Then the government borrowed money now with the intent of paying it back later once they receive their money from th cigarette settlement. Money that is a non guarantee if the companies go bankrupt.

Since they first started taxing tobaco an army of actuarys have been busy figuring out just how much states can mortgage their budgets on tobacco taxes, and anything else they tax. They are falling short on maintaining the status quo though and raising the taxes only exacerbates their tax cost/profit margins.
Zindo

Originally posted by TheRedneck

So, without all the arguments about whether or not the studies that have been done are skewed, there is still no reason why any company or group should pay for my health care, nor is there any evidence that anyone is doing so. On the other hand, I do have check stubs that show me paying for my health insurance out of my paycheck. That's not your money or anyone else's money that is being taken out of my pay; it is my money.

Redneck
yes I am sure you are paying for you health care insurance premiums now as I am also. However, at age 65, if I rember right, if you and I live that long, we will be going to government health care. That is where the long term effects of the tobacco will be costing the high dollars for the health care. That is why I say if you could voluntary decline any possibility of a government subsidized health care you just might be able to use all the tobacco you wish with out any government agency saying anything about it.
I know many things out there cause long term health problems if you were going to go that direction. Trans fats have already been banned in some places. So Tobacco might have been the first, but there will be many others.