Posted on 09/23/2011 1:21:32 PM PDT by Jean S
The Wisconsin chapter of the American Cancer Society is applauding a letter sent out Friday by the state Department of Revenue that warns the owners of "roll your own tobacco" machines that they must comply with state law and quit avoiding paying cigarette taxes.
According to state law, if a retailer or the retailer's customer operates a so-called RYO machine on the retailer's premises that makes cigarettes with loose tobacco, the retailer becomes a cigarette manufacturer and distributor.
In that case, the retailer must obtain manufacturer and distributor permits from the Department of Revenue. Under state law, the retailer also must obtain certification from the state Department of Justice to be placed on its approved directory of cigarettes for sale in Wisconsin, and obtain certification from the state Department of Safety and Professional Services that the cigarettes meet fire safety performance standards.
Allison Miller, government relations director for the Cancer Society, said the self-service machines are out in the open and potentially accessible to underage customers.
"A cigarette by any other name is still a cigarette," Miller said. "Our concern is that these roll-your-own machines are skirting the law just enough to make their deadly products much more affordable and appealing, especially to youth."
Over the last decade, Wisconsin's cigarette tax has increased from 59 cents per pack to $2.52 a pack.
The state estimates there are 50-100 roll-your-own machines in the state.
According to the cancer society, tobacco use costs Wisconsin $2.8 million a year in health care costs.
gimmie, gimmie, gimmie... money
Knew that was comming....next up...rolling your own AT ALL makes you a “manufacturer” and thus will be banned or require lisences, fee’s, permits, etc...
The state will not be denied it’s pound of flesh.
Then why don't you have the huevos to BAN IT entirely if it's so friggin' EVIL??!!! Oh, that's right... Revenue.
Jackasses.
Not necessarily -- it COULD be a fag...
;-)
See my tag line.
How much does lung cancer save in social security and pensions?
In fact, in the days before high-tech assembly lines, that's how commercial cigars and cigarettes were rolled-- you dumped tobacco in a hopper, ejected the appropriate quantity into a tube, wrapped the paper around the tube, drew the tube back as the paper tightened around the tobacco, sealed the paper and repeated the process.
It is not a very complicated or sophisticated process. If the tobacco nazis are successful in this quest, I suspect the next step will be for these places to just sell the machines and, rather than having 50-100 machines in the state, you will have 5 to 10 thousand of them.
I’m sure it’s a wash.
FWIW, I think smoking is a nasty, filthy habit and have never done it. But I also think nazis need to chill out.
touche.....well played.
If these revenue agents had been collecting taxes on prostitutes they never would have banned that either.
That was cold, cruel, mean — and dang it, you beat me to it!!!
What’s next—stuffed cabbage? Grape leaves? Sushi?
Falk You Wi!
LoL! there are more than that in my town!
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