Secondhand Smoke Affecting Millions of New Yorkers

Forbes ^ | 04.08.09 | Forbes

[GSP.FAN]

Lower-income adults were more likely to be exposed to secondhand smoke than those with higher incomes -- 63 percent vs. 54 percent, the study found.

[LukeL]

is there such a thing as second hand liberalism?

[GSP.FAN]

I use to roll my own when i had the time,but my daughter consumes my time,so i went back to packs.
Yeah you are right the tobacco is better,i believe they raised the taxes on loose tobacco as well.
Cigars they raised the tax by 700% i wonder how many people lose a job because of the tax raise?

[paratrooper82]

At the same time they bitch about second hand smoke from tobacco, the Government states this:

Michigan Revenue Declining; Sharpest Monthly Decline In 25 Years
03/11/09
09:29:49 am, Categories: State News, Taxation
Michigan Revenue Declining; Sharpest Monthly Decline In 25 Years
Michigan residents bought fewer Michigan lottery tickets, cigarettes, clothes, restaurant meals and household goods, as they saw the stock market plummet and the economic outlook darken.

The sharp pullback in consumer spending sent sales tax receipts downward 18 percent in February, or more than $100 million. It will force Gov. Jennifer Granholm and lawmakers to cut the budget more, agree on tax increases or use more of the federal economic stimulus money to balance the state's books.

It was the steepest monthly decline in 25 years.

Overall revenue declines total $200 million from forecasts made just seven weeks ago.

Since income tax receipts from paycheck withholding were pretty flat in February, economists say concerned consumers may be putting away their credit cards and spending less.

“The big reason revenues are tanking is that consumers are negative and they're saving their money,” Senate Fiscal Agency economist David Zin said Wednesday. “We thought consumers would ratchet up the savings and they've done so even more than we thought.”

Also down were tax receipts on specific forms of discretionary spending, according to the agency's new revenue report. Tobacco tax receipts were down 6.7 percent and casino wagering taxes were down 7 percent. Michigan Lottery ticket sales dropped nearly 19 percent. One factor that explains some of the decline from a year ago was that February 2008 provided a 29th day of sales.

Tax collections from the sale of real estate are down 42 percent from a year ago. While the focus of the state's economic woe is the auto sector, sales tax receipts from car sales actually climbed 15 percent last month.

For the full article, see Peter Luke, “Michigan Lottery sales, taxes on cigarettes and casino gambling plummet; Gov. Jennifer Granholm says revenue decline is ‘breathtaking’”, MLive, March 11, 2009.

[Inappropriate Laughter]

That's interesting. I'm not a smoker, and don't like the smoke but I do like freedom...and I recalled a few years ago someone was giving out packets of tobacco seeds at the Maine LP convention, so with the recent hikes I thought, smokers can raise their own. I did a few minutes of research, and found thatraising tobacco is not difficult, but curing it is a big deal. A place to start, Building a Tobacco Curing Chamber and Curing Your Tobacco.

[patton]

Did you see my comment up thread? A carton of Red in NY (upstate) is now $82

Nobody is buying, yet everybody smokes.

Huh. Wonder which mafia is making the supply run.

[paratrooper82]

You only need to “cure” tobacco if you use a pesticide to grow it. All my Brother did was hang it up until it was almost dry and then he wraps it on a thin board about four inches wide,and leaves them that way until they finish drying. Then he stacks them after he removes the board, this is called a “brick” and then he cuts the tobacco anyway you want to. He said it was some of the finest tobacco he has ever smoked and 100% natural.

[GSP.FAN]

Yep you are right,i lived in NYC for 5 years and the least of the pollutants they have to worry about is cigs.

[paratrooper82]

One of the best things about raising your own, you don’t give the government one damn cent!

$82.00 dollars, the government can go piss up a rope!

[patton]

Concur. 11B2PLGMH, B/3/325.

[paratrooper82]

We like a victory cigar sometimes after an operation. You can bet, I won't be buying any more of them, since the money will go to the government socialist who come to rely on the tobacco income, using it to balance their budgets and then complain about second hand smoke killing everyone! Damn hypocrites, all of them!

[GOP_Lady]

I was just going to post and point out that sentence, patton.

Truly unbelievable. It's out of control.

I hope you had a great vacation.

[paratrooper82]

Thank you for your service to our Country!

11B1PSF82ndABN1/508BN (fury from the sky)

[GOP_Lady]

"Just smoked one outside, do not know how many people I poisoned?

Oh the humanity!

[paratrooper82]

Congratulations! An American not afraid to be free!

We will send two out goings into Indian country just for you!!

[patton]

It was huge fun - I played Stratego with the kids, shot some beers with them (old bulging cans that had frozen in the cabin, we shot them with .22 hollow points, makes a great splash...), played some poker, and peed on a lock.

The lock to our barway was frozen when we got up on the mountain, and all the hot coffee was gone...

LOL.

[patton]

And thak you for yours! All the WAY!

(And I ets’d in 86. Ugh, I am old. LOL!)

[GOP_Lady]

LOL.

Most excellent!

[paratrooper82]

Once a paratrooper, always a paratrooper my brother in arms!

God bless

[patton]

What is the SF is your MOS? I know that they have changed the codes...

[Cobra64]