Posted on 06/03/2008 5:44:04 PM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
Albany, NY (AHN) - What health warnings could not accomplish, taxes may. New York residents who could not give up the habit may finally surrender their packs with new state taxes of $1.25 expected to hike the cost to over $8 a pack in New York. The average cost is $5.82 across the states.
With the additional tax, the Big Apple residents would be paying $2.75 taxes per pack, the highest in the nation. The new revenue generating measure is expected to add $265 million annually to New York's coffers.
Convenience store and smokers are not happy with the price and tax increase, but health officials are. More than the increase in state income, health officials foresee an spike in smoking quitters by 50,000 adults and 7,000 teenagers.
Dr. Scott Sherman, a stop smoking expert, told Newsday, "The two biggest factors that have made a difference in New York City is the tax and the smoking ban, basically making it more difficult to smoke."
When the first cigarette tax hike was imposed in 2002, a 21 percent dip in smoking was logged among adults and 52 percent among high school students.
At more than $8 a pack, the habit burns up to $3,000 annually for people who light up one pack a day. Others, however, would still insist on holding on to the vice until their pockets could afford it. Mary Ryan of Forest Hills told Newsday her breaking point would be when nicotine would cost $15 a pack.
Can you all see NOW that this is a money-maker for state government? It has NOTHING to do with health, and everything to do with revenue.
If tobacco is so BAD, then BAN it! BAN it! I dare ya!
(And I have never smoked in my life.)
A “Perfect Example” Ping!
Ok, am I still allowed to take my cigs to my house in NY, or is that smuggling, or something?
Decades ago it was said that if you wanted people to cut down on smoking, just increase the price.
People could then afford to smoke one or two cigarettes a day, but not a whole pack.
As far as health goes, that would be “mission accomplished”.
Instead of letting the market forces work, we tried “government persuasion”, and spent billions.
The surrounding states should benefit handsomely.
Yesterday, my butts were $5.15....today they were $6.40!!! I HATE NY!!!
I ranted a tad. My gal at the pharmacy, where I purchase my butts said “ I told you they were going up”! I said “ I thought it was the usual 5 or 10 cents”!!!
Did I tell you I hated NY???
Not yet....
The anti-smoking nazis had been pushing it for years, but a R Gov and R Senate stopped it every time. But with the D's, they found the perfect opportunity.
Need Cigs??
They are cheap in Virginia
Dr. Scott Sherman, a stop smoking expert, told Newsday, “The two biggest factors that have made a difference in New York City is the tax and the smoking ban, basically making it more difficult to smoke.”
Ummm....I thought the smoker ban and the tax hikes were for ‘the public health’ and to treat people w/’smoking-related illnesses’, respectively. They all denied it was social engineering. Simply more lies.
It's for the children you know!
That's the thin edge of the wedge.
They'll parley that into no smoking in any indoor space.
Have the geniuses in these taxaholic States figured out at what price people will travel to North Carolina to purchase a 6 months supply of smokes?
A young entrepreneur from New Joisey was stopped by the Murlin State Po Lease on I-95 in Maryland over the Memorial Weekend with 25,000 packs of cigarettes in his van. It appears that most of his customers were Obama constituents since half his freight was Kools. For every one they catch how many hundreds skate?
and New York's total tax revenue on cigarettes will go down not up.
As long as you limit it to one carton. Otherwise, they could nab you for intent to distribute.
(Sarcasm, as of now. It may not be such in a a couple of years!)
I’ll say. I was in Virgina 2 weeks ago and a carton was $27.99!
Here in Iowa, it’s $40. was $25 a year ago
Why yes...yes I do. But they’ve been cracking down on the “mail order cigs”. I’m scared, lol.
Don't worry. After we become a solidly blue state, that will get fixed. /sarc
Except the price of gas will make up the difference.
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