Are Ciggerate taxes too high?

[Salty]

Here is a PDF file on cigarette taxes

Too high, too low, just right - thoughts

NY is # 1 at $4.35 (+ Fed) per pack!
VA is # 50 at $0.30 per pack

In addition to the amount listed - add (i think) 1.01 for federal tax

 

[preachinjesus]

Being that I don't smoke it is rare that I feel the effects of this tax.

That said, I'm all for the tax.

 

[Salty]

Being that I don't smoke it is rare that I feel the effects of this tax.

That said, I'm all for the tax.

Being that many do not buy Bibles - lets tax Bibles!

 

[preachinjesus]

Are Bibles bad for you? If you use a Bible on a train does it cause cancer in the people sitting around you?

 

[Ivon Denosovich]

I'm a smoker and directly affected. I don't smoke on trains or public places, and I also don't smoke around nonsmokers including children. I believe the taxes are too high. It's my responsibility to take of my own health and not the government's. Since that seems to be the rationale for raising taxes on tobacco products, I'm opposed to such tax increases.

 

[mandym]

Smoking is a terrible thing. But taxing people as a tool to control behavior is just as bad or worse.

 

[Deacon]

Being that I don't smoke it is rare that I feel the effects of this tax.

Ever wonder why your health costs are so high when you don’t really use it all that much?

At any given age, health care costs for smokers are estimated to be 40 percent higher than nonsmokers.
So whether you smoke or don’t smoke your health care expenses pay for tobacco users.

On the other hand we can thank the smokers for paying social security taxes,
they won’t be using as much of it as non-smokers.

Rob

 

[billwald]

If the ciggybutt tax was to high then more people would roll their own and save 90%.

 

[quantumfaith]

Smoking is a terrible thing. But taxing people as a tool to control behavior is just as bad or worse.

:thumbs::thumbs::thumbs:

 

[quantumfaith]

Ever wonder why your health costs are so high when you don’t really use it all that much?

At any given age, health care costs for smokers are estimated to be 40 percent higher than nonsmokers.
So whether you smoke or don’t smoke your health care expenses pay for tobacco users.

On the other hand we can thank the smokers for paying social security taxes,
they won’t be using as much of it as non-smokers.

Rob

The whole (mathematical) concept of insurance is to spread the risk and costs over a larger population. I think the "crime" is singling out conduct. Where do we stop. What about people who spend meal after meal at the food bar and take not thought of their weight and physical fitness, only to be plagued by diabetes and other preventable conditions.

In my estimation, a better proposal is to offer incentives for health. Offer discounts to those who can demonstrate that they maintain good physical conditioning.

 

[Deacon]

In my estimation, a better proposal is to offer incentives for health. Offer discounts to those who can demonstrate that they maintain good physical conditioning.

Many health insurance companies offer incentives for joining (and using) a health club.
I'd say, do both.
Keeping taxes high at least discourages the young people from starting a life long addiction to the habit.

Smoking is indeed a complicated issue.

I'd estimate at least 20% of my patients getting stress test are smokers.
Many of these have already had various prodcedures to open up blocked arteries (including open heart surgery).
It's not all that uncommon for them to be smoking within a week or two after the procedures. It's highly addictive!

So addictive in fact that many of the poor and hungry, the homeless, jobless and needy, still find the means to smoke a pack or two a day.

Rob

 

[preachinjesus]

If one is addicted there are any number of growing options for treatment. One of the best ones that I've seen is the eCigarettes.

Ironically the argument here is one based on free market processes. Who here thinks we need more smokers around here? We use tariffs to keep foreign competition out on certain things, this isn't that much different.

 

[Salty]

Where do we stop. What about people who spend meal after meal at the food bar and take not thought of their weight and physical fitness, only to be plagued by diabetes and other preventable conditions.

I support a tax on those who make multiple trips to the buffet bar!!!!

 

[quantumfaith]

Many health insurance companies offer incentives for joining (and using) a health club.
I'd say, do both.
Keeping taxes high at least discourages the young people from starting a life long addiction to the habit.

Smoking is indeed a complicated issue.

I'd estimate at least 20% of my patients getting stress test are smokers.
Many of these have already had various prodcedures to open up blocked arteries (including open heart surgery).
It's not all that uncommon for them to be smoking within a week or two after the procedures. It's highly addictive!

So addictive in fact that many of the poor and hungry, the homeless, jobless and needy, still find the means to smoke a pack or two a day.

Rob

I totally agree with its addictiveness, I am not a smoker, but a user of smokeless products (full disclosure), "Quitting is easy, I have done it at least a thousand times"

I simply take objection to singling out "lifestyle" choices in a arbitrary manner. If insurance is to do this, then any and all maladies likely brought on by choices (refusal to strive for fitness) should also be charged.

 

[hillclimber1]

The taxes on cigarettes is probably the most direct and costliest tax on poor people. Most smokers are low income. I'm amazed at how many homeless people smoke..

 

[sag38]

What happens when the poor finally choose to quit? Poof, there goes the tax revenue. We need these folks to keep smoking. They don't pay any federal income taxes. In fact, if they do have a job they most likely get the Earned Income Credit. They probably pay little in state income taxes. They receive many forms of government assistance. How else are we going to tax them other than through sales and sin taxes?

 

[quantumfaith]

Earned Income Credit, another phrase for income redistribution, blatantly.

 

[dwmoeller1]

Ever wonder why your health costs are so high when you don’t really use it all that much?

At any given age, health care costs for smokers are estimated to be 40 percent higher than nonsmokers.
So whether you smoke or don’t smoke your health care expenses pay for tobacco users.

On the other hand we can thank the smokers for paying social security taxes,
they won’t be using as much of it as non-smokers.

Rob

What applies to SocSecurity also applies to health insurance. Sure smokers may account for more health care costs when compared to others their age. However they do not cost as much over the course of their life. Why? Because the large majority of health costs come later in life and smokers tend not to live that long. On average a smoker is going to incur *less* health costs, not more. On average the cost of being healthy enough to grow old is more than smoking.

Since health insurance spreads the cost regardless of age, this is the much more important comparison. Smokers can not be blamed for the higher health costs. More accurate to blame non-smokers

 

[Salty]

.

Since health insurance spreads the cost regardless of age, this is the much more important comparison. Smokers can not be blamed for the higher health costs. More accurate to blame non-smokers

The same logic can be applied to bad drivers.
Over the past years traffic deaths have decreased drastically. Now those who would have died in a vehicle are now living longer lives and dying of other causes, cancer, strokes, ect - so those stats are increasing.

For every action there is a reaction

 

[Jim1999]

In Canada, a pack of weeds has reached ten dollars and change. That rose from five dollars,all tax, yet no appreciable increase by the provinces towards health care costs..........so, where is that tax money going?

Besides, dictating that people quit puffing has never worked. It doesn't work with alcohol either. The day welfare cheques come out the liquor stores are jam packed!!!!

Cheers,

Jim

Nothing like an empty pipe. You can puff all day!