Smokers feeling abused as federal tax hike hits

Let me chime in as I partake in the nasty habit, as well.

We are easy targets because we are in the minority.
Once the taxes dry up from people who quit, or find other means to satisfy cravings, enough to lower the revenue generated another means of paying for the SCHIP will need to be found.

My vote, like I'll be asked, will be to tax the disposable DIAPER market.
Those damn things are to be found EVERYWHERE---USED. It is so disgusting to be walking on the sidewalk and see one chucked from the window of a moving vehicle, or floating in one of our urban fishing ponds, or on a hiking path in the park.

If someone can afford to purchase these damn things, they can be considerate enough to others to dispose of properly. Every year in Tucson there is a diaper drive. Last year, over 250,000 of them were donated.
those that didn't go into the landfills, after use, can be found anywhere.
ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING!

This is just another thing in a long line of things we just have to spread our butt cheeks and take. Taxes, taxes and more taxes. Good Lord, do I pay me some taxes. Personal property, income, gas, vehicle, food, alcohol, cigarettes etc. etc. Plus the very nice 8% sales tax we have here in Georgia. It's ridiculous. My wife and I paid over $60,000 in taxes last year, just in Federal and State income tax. That's not counting all of the other taxes- sales, food, gas etc. And I'm not a rich guy- I live in a little 2 bedroom condo and drive a cheap car. And what do I get in return for all of this lovely money I shovel over to the government? The joy of watching my country literally throw it all away, whilst systematically encroaching on my few remaining freedoms.

reply to post by Flighty


Oh heck no! It's on if they add a vanity tax!!

Everybody has their little indulges that help them through the day or relax them or do it just because they like it. Like smoking. People want to smoke, go ahead. It's not my business what someone else does or spend their money on, nor is it anyone else's business how much I spend on beauty/cosmetics.

I don't smoke, but I find this tax hike absurd! IMO, I feel that when people say "oh this tax hike doesn't bother me" is crazy, we already know that if the govt is given an inch they will take a mile... and whats next adding a huge tax at Whataburger because its a sin to eat something that unhealthy? Then its overly taxing a bag of Skittles to go to childrens dental care? Puh-leaze.

To me, a great burger and some ridiculously expensive beauty products help me relieve my stress. To some it may be a smoke.

I am a non-consistent smoker and I agree that smokers shouldn't have rights.

I mean why should people care about people polluting clean air for everyone else?

Oh we should care about their rights? Ok let's start caring about having over 300 different poisons in Cigarettes instead of the tax hike.

How about we care about their health more than their addictions?

How's that sound?

Originally posted by ModernAcademia
I am a non-consistent smoker and I agree that smokers shouldn't have rights.

I mean why should people care about people polluting clean air for everyone else?

Oh we should care about their rights? Ok let's start caring about having over 300 different poisons in Cigarettes instead of the tax hike.

How about we care about their health more than their addictions?

How's that sound?

That is a judgemental, slippery slope. You can make the exact same arguments against diet soda, fast food, gambling, hunting, farming, etc. Where does it end? The real issue here is that it isn't for the government to decide. What's even worse is the slimy, underhanded way that they do it. They still don't have the balls to outright outlaw these things, so they take the long approach at it... filling the MSM and the public's empty little heads with biased "studies," which leads to a mob mentality against it, which leads to a very easy sell when it comes to taxes or "fees," which eventually leads to a backdoor ban that prices folks out of their legal substances.

It isn't about "holier than thou" and it isn't about "majority rules." This country was founded on individual freedoms and funded, ironically enough, by the fact that we could grow tobacco really, really well here. Our rights are our rights... not GRANTED by the government. The Bill of Rights is very clear, these are things that the government isn't allowed to infringe upon (although we've long since screwed that pooch.)

reply to post by ModernAcademia


Smokers shouldn't have rights??

Well, thank goodness people like you aren't making the laws. They at least think we should have rights......as long as we pay out the for them.

reply to post by larphillips


Funny thing is: Obama is a smoker.

But, I doubt he has to pay for his.

It is only going to get higher when individual states place more taxes on the product.

All in all, this latest series of tax will backfire. I predict a black market coming on due to all of these taxes.

I used to be able to take a bottle of wine down to the cliffs at the beach
and sit there and listen to the surf pound against the shore. I'd light a
cigarette and pour a glass of wine and enjoy the moment. They have since
outlawed all smoking there. They have banned all alcohol there. Tickets
are given to continually enforce this policy.
I once felt like it was okay to pay an extra tax, a sin tax, if it was my
decision and the taxes were going to a worthy cause. But the taxes were
not going to cessation programs or re-hab programs. They were going to
new, unrelated programs that would depend on "addict" individuals to fund
them, even though the general consensus was that all users were some-
how undesirables, . . smokers and drinkers.
This is a form of taxation without representation.

If they ever try taxing my music, they'll have to pry my gun from my cold,
dead hands.

Originally posted by jam321
It is only going to get higher when individual states place more taxes on the product.

All in all, this latest series of tax will backfire. I predict a black market coming on due to all of these taxes.

It's already there. The feds are doing everything they can to shut down these internet shops that are selling cigs. They are going after these guys harder than they are against the online pharmacies.

If they ever try taxing my music, they'll have to pry my gun from my cold,
dead hands.

Well, NY State tried really hard to tax iTunes and other internet music downloads. If you walk into a store (although, good luck finding a record store these days) you're paying sales tax.

But your point about "undesirables" is dead on. They've done a bang-up job of demonizing smokers. To quote a line from the Simpsons when Homer was found smoking in a government building:

...you, sir, are worse than Hitler.

Giving too many rights to smokers is like bailouts
It's giving propz to bad decisions.

Smokers aren't the brightest imo

They fight for smoking rights but they only fight laws and not the tobacco industry

The tobacco industry is the biggest oppressor to smokers

Smoking is not like alcohol, not at all
You can buy a bottle of alcohol and enjoy it and make it last as long as you wish
a month, a year, a decade. You don't have to become an alcoholic.

But with cigarettes, they sell you a pack of 20 or 25 and it's like beat the clock
smoke all 20-25 cancer sticks before they go stale which is perhaps a week or less.
That's lunacy!

But no lets' fight taxes and legislation regarding it, because we want it as such!

Nobody fights for being able to buy a pack of 5 or 6
nobody fights for having no poison in cigarettes
or even fighting for let's say 100 different poisons instead of over 300

Sorry man, makes no sense!
It's like bailing out bad decisions
Smokers don't care about others, they don't care about themselves
they only care about smoking which in turn means caring for their oppressing giants the tobaccco firms.

Good Luck!

Originally posted by Griff
reply to post by larphillips

 

Funny thing is: Obama is a smoker.

But, I doubt he has to pay for his.

"Barry" probably rolls is own smokes. He has to maintain the image of cool you know. He undoubtedly had plenty of practice rolling his own in college.

Originally posted by Flighty
Ooh, lets see....... what everyday luxuries items could we tax in these tough financial times......
How about.....
40% tax on ALL COSMETICS ( lotions, potions, bathbombs,etc etc) and ALL COSMETIC PROCEDURES like Botox, artificial suntans, plastic surgery....
None of these are necessary, so girls you'll have to cough up for the little kids in these hospitals....and other social programmes that we need money for.
It will be called a VANITY TAX.

Not to mention that all those cosmetics are just as bad, if not worse, than cigarette smoke. I say tax the hell out of these "debutantes". I'd rather ride an elevator with a smoker smoking than with a "princess" smelling like a French Whore.

Look it up, cosmetics have more carcinogens than cigs.

Originally posted by Griff
Look it up, cosmetics have more carcinogens than cigs.

but they don't touch your lungs bro
they aren't smoked

reply to post by jam321


Arizona established an $8.00/carton tax last year. The 1st in the nation, I believe, to fund the SCHIP program. They soon found that there were not enough smokers purchasing locally to fund the program in its entirety. So, they just dipped into the "general" fund... an increase in sales tax.

When the same is discovered on the national level, there will be another increase in the tobacco tax.

Originally posted by ModernAcademia
I am a non-consistent smoker and I agree that smokers shouldn't have rights.

I mean why should people care about people polluting clean air for everyone else?

Oh we should care about their rights? Ok let's start caring about having over 300 different poisons in Cigarettes instead of the tax hike.

How about we care about their health more than their addictions?

How's that sound?

Care to give up your vehicle which pollutes the air thousands of times more than cigarette smoke could ever dream?

Yeah, didn't think so.

[edit on 4/1/2009 by Griff]

Would it do any good were we attempt organizing a boycott ??

Seriously, I'd seen posts/ threads in the past regarding the increasing gasoline prices last year. Many people were suggesting a national boycott on gas day. Thing is it never happened as gas is a necessity.

I could go one week without buying cigarettes. I'm sure you could too !!

Would that make any impact ?? Say 10,0000,000 smokers nationwide commit to not buying a single pack in an entire week ??

Something to think about. I've already cut back alot, rationing if you will.....(as I'm getting ready to go take a smoke break.... ironically)

Let's get the word out !!! At least on ATS if anything. Organize this, determine the week.

We could do it !!!

Originally posted by Griff
Care to give up you vehicle which pollutes the air thousands of times more than cigarette smoke could ever dream?

Yeah, didn't think so.

You think wrong!

PLEASE give me an electric car!

I would LOVE to take a "greener" approach to driving

Plus that's such a horrible analogy
I drive to work because I have to
you don't HAVE to smoke

horrible analogy

The only reason people are saying smokers don't deserve rights and smokers deserve this excessive taxation is because it doesn't effect them. It's fairly typical really "I'll support Un-American actions as long as it doesn't effect me personally."

Smokers are an easy target and people like to feel that they're better than other people.

These are the same people that would've supported the Nazi's rounding up the Jews but would cry foul when the Nazis start to round up people like them.

I may be a smoker but at least I don't drink kool aid