Posted on 04/11/2008 8:33:41 PM PDT by DGHoodini
I was just reading an article that referenced "sin taxes" cigarettes being one...Well, Many years ago, I used to smoke..and the last time I bought a pack of cigarettes, they cost $1.50 a pack. I was wondering if anyone knew offhand, what they are currently going for?
I’m not an attorney, so I have no idea how to address that.
OK, thanks. I just heard horror stories about people who buy cigarettes online getting a bill from the federal government for thousands of dollars because they didn’t pay any taxes on their smokes when they bought them.
That works out to be about $10 US a pack … I say again WOW! I would guess there are few smokers in NZ. ;-)
> That works out to be about $10 US a pack … I say again WOW! I would guess there are few smokers in NZ. ;-)
Still more smokers than the Nanny State would like. They sure don’t mind the cigarette taxes, tho’ — when the last smoker in NZ stubs out for the last time, I predict a massive tax increase. Or maybe sugar will be next in line... you never can tell with Helen, except that she’s always in favor of more control and more tax.
FWIW: I can pick up a pack of Korean (Life) cigarettes for about $2.00. The military got me hooked on them and I paid ten cents a pack for unfiltered Camels/Ninety Cents for a carton. Smoked them for 50 + years and quit 4 years ago.
The law in IL is “each” person coming into the state of IL can only bring 2 cartons of out of state cigarettes into IL.
(now I have never heard of anyone being busted for having a few extra out of state cartons on them, but my guess is if you get pulled over for speeding and act like an a$$ when you have a few extra out of state cartons with you then you might get nailed for it along with a speeding ticket)
Also there are signs at my IL/MO crossing posted about smuggling cigarettes into IL they stand along side the No Jammers allowed in the state of IL signs.
Gee, a country not unlike the US! ;-)
Yeeeouch! Looks like it was a good thing for my wallet as well as my health that I quit when I did. At about 5 pks a week, it boggles my mind the amount of money I would have spent over the last 15 years, over and above the $1.50pk I was paying.
Sure hope I spent my savings well. ;o)
And, my Australian friend...Was that in USD? Cherish those smokes mate...or maybe it’s time to start chewing gum. :)
It’s not the federal gov getting them. It is the state the person lives in by getting them for USE TAX for the cigarettes they buy out of state and have delivered in state.
By the way, I had a chance to visit NZ back in 1969 (as a member of the USN) and thought it was the most beautiful and friendly county in the entire world.
Goofy me, I’m tired. I caught my mistake, see my post # 31.
I’ve used every bridge in St. Louis and southward to Cairo and never noticed. I will watch more closely next time.
The place where I buy my cigarettes (in Missouri) has a sign up limiting purchases to 5 cartons. It’s a joke and the owner says “buy all you want”.
I live in central Illinois and my brand, regular Winston sells for about $34 per carton here. In Missouri I get them for about $23 per carton.
Two summers ago I was in St. Maarten and bought 10 cartons for $10 apiece. That shows how much tax there is on Cigarettes in the U.S.
There was a 2 carton limit on bringing them back to the U.S., I didn’t know it at the time but no one checked my baggage on reentry, so I got away with it.
My friend in Missouri informs me that the major credit card companies are cooperating with various states, reporting out of state customer purchases of alcohol and tobacco, so I always pay in cash.
Two tears ago, I got a form with my Illinois state income tax forms, asking me to voluntarily report any tobacco purchases made in other states and to pay the difference in Illinois tax. I tore it up and they didn’t send me one this tax year.
Six bucks a pack.
About the same in Washington. Cheaper in Or, and much cheaper in CA.
Seems pretty obvious the main difference between prices are the taxes levied by the state.
I thought the Constitution said something about no state being allowed to tax the exports of another state. Guess I must be wrong.
Fortunately I kicked that habit a few years back, which BTW was the hardest thing I ever did in my life.
#33
> By the way, I had a chance to visit NZ back in 1969 (as a member of the USN) and thought it was the most beautiful and friendly county in the entire world.
Cheers for that! I hope one day soon the USN visits New Zealand again: as it stands, our Anti-nuclear stance gets in the way of such visits. Hopefully that will change.
The best way to handle buying cigs across state lines is to pay with cash.
Debit, Checks, Credit Cards, and cigarette coupons that have your name stamped on them leave a trail that your state can follow and most states now have USE TAX on cigarettes and other purchases made outside the state. (mail order, etc)
I agree with your post 100%.
Make sure you watch on how you use those cig coupons that may have your name on them. They leave a trail also that can be linked back to you and where you are buying your smokes.
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