Smokers stock up before tax increase: 39-cent hike goes into effect today

Binghamton Press and Sun-Bulletin ^ | 04/03/02 | William Moyer

[Phantom Lord]

Business was booming Tuesday at Roger's Market in Endicott as smokers stopped for an extra pack of cigarettes to avoid today's double-digit state tax increase.

"People have been stocking up," said Roger Evanek, owner of the convenience store on North Street.

[Great Dane]

So far the smokers in our families haven't made it that long.

I am not trying to be flippant, but my dad smoked and was obese, he lived to be 90.

The problem with this fanaticism is that there are a lot of risky things in life, smoking is just one of them.

[Great Dane]

I smoke, and just built a 16' x 4' raised bed garden. Will the one cancel out the other?

Just in case it doesn't, I am almost 68, can walk 1 mile in 28 minutes, without getting winded........ there that ought to help some. :-}

[-YYZ-]

Stop at Roger's Market today and name-brand cigarettes will cost $5.55 a pack

Holy cow! $5.55 a pack of 20, US dollars? That's like $8+ Canadian for a pack of 20. Even British Columbia, which I believe has the highest cig taxes in Canada (not sure about the far north, but that's not completely relevant, as high taxes pay for the high cost of living up there), hasn't taxed cigarettes as highly as that. I recently paid about CDN$7 for a pack of 25 in Nova Scotia

[Max McGarrity]

And your loved ones might just wish for a long and happy life for you. We have family in their eighties and nineties who, aside from some physical frailties, are doing very well. Interestingly enough, none of them have ever smoked.

mewzilla, I don't doubt what you say, but you need to understand that YOUR experiences only affect YOUR perceptions, and MY experiences affect MINE. My smoking family members have all lived long, healthy lives, one uncle living to 104 (he did quit smoking at 100), my grandfather died at 94 in a farm accident, my dad died at 87. None of them ever suffered any of those "smoking related" illnesses. Those experiences prove nothing. Neither do yours, except possibly a genetic difference.

The point is, law and policy should not be made based on one's personal experiences, nor should they be based on special-interest agendas or who can be made politically incorrect and therefore worthy of robbing.

[truth_seeker]

The problem with this fanaticism is that there are a lot of risky things in life, smoking is just one of them.

Yeah, and it takes time to find a way to tax them, one by one. Watch your fat intake.

[1Old Pro]

Attention New Yorkers: Cigarettes Sent Direct

 

[Great Dane]

You got it: Promote smoking.

May even subsidize smokes. :-}

[Max McGarrity]

Smoking is a stupid habit, and anyone who says otherwise is in denial.

Well, you're partly right: smoking is a habit. Don't you realize how lame it is to throw out the "denial" accusation whenever someone disagrees with you? Lame.

[Max McGarrity]

Love it!

[Bella_Bru]

I lived in Syracuse for quite some time before moving to Cali. The Onondaga Reservation was the only place I'd buy smokes. Oh, except when the Hess gas station mart would have Camel Lights for 1.99 a pack.

[cibco]

"#4....... One might suspect you have spent time in hospitals with non-smokers as well."

Ya know... based on #4 and your reply made me think. The largest number of people I have seen in the hospital that died were non-smokers. Might be prudent to start smoking for longevity.

Cigar, cigarette or Tiparillo? ;-)

[Great Dane]

Some news on the Ottawa front, the City is now going for a court injunction, so they can up the fines for those nasty lawbreakers to $25.000, at the same time the City is in contempt of court, as the court asked them to clearify what constitutes a private club, the City has yet to comply.

The City has also quietly allowed legions to allow smokers, they are building smoking huts for bus drivers, and to top it off, they have just allocated a mill and a half to help bingo halls stay open......... THESE PEOPLE ARE CERTIFIED IDIOTS.

[Great Dane]

Ya know... based on #4 and your reply made me think. The largest number of people I have seen in the hospital that died were non-smokers. Might be prudent to start smoking for longevity. Cigar, cigarette or Tiparillo? ;-)

Haven't had many occations to visit hospitals, but from what I hear, you are right.

[Great Dane]

Watch your fat intake.

Heh He, NOW YOU TELL ME.

[bjs1779]

Or over the internet....

Just make sure that the company you buy them from does not comply with the Jenkins Act. Most secretly do and people have been hammered by getting a huge tax bill from the state of import.

[SheLion]

The money will come from the cigarette tax and increased federal Medicaid reimbursements to the state. State officials have not estimated how much money they expect to get from the higher cigarette tax.

See how "they" are? They say increasing taxes will make smokers quit. But look at where they intend to put that money. If smokers quit, where would they GET that money?

I am so upset I could chew nails.........

[SheLion]

The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids

The Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids can kiss my A$$!

[Phantom Lord]

One thing I have always wondered about raising cigarette taxes, getting people to quit and revenue is this. When forcasting the revenue increase from a cigarette tax increase, what % of smokers (cigarette sales) do they factor in as quiting? Or do they, as I suspect, use static analysis and project revenue based on no one quiting.

[Dawgsquat]

Those injun smokes are expensive. I get Camels at the discount store in town for $23.14 a carton. I get coupons from Camel that knock off another $2.

[deadhead]

I bought a 5 pack of Marlboro Lights today, $17.50. I try to find the "specials" here in New York.