Legislature argues worth of Target Market anti-tobacco program

Star Tribune ^ | 4/15/02 | Josephine Marcotty and Sharon Schmickle

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

Zhang posed the basic problem while brainstorming with other teenagers last week about putting more punch behind their anti-smoking message: Nothing seems to penetrate the psyche of certain kids.

Tell them that tobacco companies are manipulating them or that smoking will kill them, Zhang said, and all too often the response is "nicotine is awesome."

[camle]

my tobacco taxes are providing your kids with insurance benefits. are you really sure you want me to stop?

[LJLucido]

We've been teaching kids to "question authority" for decades, and now we are surprised that they are questioning government-sponsored propaganda?

[steve50]

They don't want us to stop or it would be illegal, they do want about $7 a pack and it looks like they are going to get it.

[SheLion]

Billions of dollars spent to "twist and control the minds of our youth."

[Just another Joe]

Yes, the only thing we can do is teach our OWN children to not submit unquestioningly to ANY authority, my own authority included.
My youngest is 15 and she will question anyone on an issue until she is satisfied that there is a reason for the decision on that issue.
We have a code word in my family that is used when a decision must be made quickly and there is no time for discussion. If I use that code word she will not question what I tell her. Otherwise I will explain the reasoning for my decisions to her.

[SheLion]

That's wonderful, Joe. Teach our kids not to be mind less puppets!

I'm glad Tumbleweed put this out there. A lot of people do not realize that groups like this are popping up all across the Country. Trying to mind control our kids.

[Pamlico]

At those prices it would pay to buy some North Carolina farmland and sell the stuff on the black market.

[steve50]

I might try to grow my own this summer in the garden, I wonder if it is legal to produce tobacco for personal use?

[SheLion]

Well, it will be a year in June that we have been rolling our own. For under $8.00, we get a wonderful carton. Under $8.00! What a wonderful savings for us.

[SheLion]

Steve, I have heard others that grow their own tobacco. I don't think that's illegal. It's too cold up here in Maine for us to get into it that deep , though. :)

But I have heard that a lot of people grow their own tobacco.

[steve50]

Good for you girl, $8 a carton, wow.

[Pamlico]

Even though I live in NC, I do not smoke and I do not farm. However, I believe it is illegal for anyone to grow tobacco without permission (called an allotment)from the federal government. These allotments can be bought and sold and do not necessarily stay with the land.

[SheLion]

Steve, it's been great! We found the Supermatic machine off of the Net, and the bags of tobacco and filtered tubes in town, and I roll to my heart's content. And just knowing that the big glutton Maine isn't getting our hard earned money for cigarette taxes, makes me smile every time!

[SheLion]

Pamlico, I sure couldn't say one way or the other. I know people that do grow their own tobacco. I wish they would come in. Wonder how they do it.

[steve50]

Hmmm, they let you buy dried leaf tax free, so we are paying $22 a carton or so for Phillip Morris to roll it? Is the place you buy your leaf a retail outlet or just an individual?

[SheLion]

Bags and cans of tobacco can be bought at the Smoke Shops or even the grocery stores in town. The filtered tubes are sold same place. They have to charge a surcharge, but not the huge taxes that you pay when you buy PM or RJR or the rest of them. A carton of premiums up here are $50.00. When they hit $44 last year, I said that's it. No more. They have since gone up since last June. That is why I am so thankful that we working class stiffs finally found a better way to enjoy our cigarettes, without sacrificing something else.

[Just another Joe]

I beleive, but am not sure, that you can grow up to 1/4 of an acre of tobacco for personal use without govt intervention.
On the subject of stuff your own, Don't forget the taxes on the packs. It's not JUST PM that you are paying for the privelage of them stuffing your cigarettes for you.
I also stuff my own. There are two brands that I like. One of them is fairly pricey, $3.55 a pouch (Makes between a pack and a half and two packs), the other is not as expensive but I don't like it quite as much.
I can afford a buck eighty a pack so I go with the pricey stuff.

[steve50]

Do you know of any online sites I could get some info from, maybe they would mail me the stuff. I've never seen it sold like that around here.(Ohio)Sorry to keep nagging you ;-)

[Great Dane]

1. Canada has had a ban on advertising for the last 15-20 years....... doesn't change much of anything.

2.The claim of not having had enough time for solid research......... when did the ANTIS ever do solid research. ?

3.Money or the lack thereof has little to do with whether teens smoke or not, they are the ones with money and no fincial responsibility...... just look at whom the advertisers are aiming at, be it clothes, music or anything else.

This is just another excuse for more taxes.