[Max McGarrity]

Tom Ryan, a spokesman for Philip Morris USA, said the tobacco company supports a crackdown on tax evasion. "The people really hurt by all this are the retailers who are doing business legitimately." he said. "Jobs are on the line.">/i>

And the tobacco companies wonder why we don't support them? They are contemptible.

[SheLion]

And the tobacco companies wonder why we don't support them? They are contemptible.

Yes! And PM is the WORST out of ALL of them. They put the screws to the smokers every chance they get. They are SO phony!

[oldtimer]

Max? What is he supposed to say:

I wish everybody in the US smoked a pack a day?

[Gabz]

I'm addressing this to the 3 of you because you all know me and know I am no apologist for the tobacco companies.

Max, you say: And the tobacco companies wonder why we don't support them? They are contemptible.

I don't disagree with you - but I think it is rather unfair to tar them all with the same brush. And the comment about retailers from PM is legitimate. Unless PM goes the way of B&W and does mail order catalog sales of their product - their main customers are the retailers.

I also have noticed that it is only PM that is being attacked bcause of Ryan's comment on both this thread and the previous one on this article. Nothing is being commented upon about RJR's reaction, whiich is also legitimate.

I don't know what has been going on behind the scenes in other states, but I am very familiar with what has gone on in Delaware for the past 20 years regarding tobacco taxes. Except for the MSA (which I won't get into) the TC's have been the ONLY friend smokers have had when it came to increases in taxes. The smokers are their own worst enemy through their continued silence.

The cross border sales, smuggling, or whatever you want to call it is a legitimate argument against the outrageous increases in cig taxes. Whenever Maryland raises it's cig taxes, like they just did - sales skyrocket in Delaware. I won't even talk about what happened to sales here when new Jersey cranked theirs up to like triple ours.

Unreasonable cigarette tax increases are discriminatory, regressive and, encourage illegal activities and should be opposed for all these reasons. (and probably a few dozen others)

[Libertarian_4_eva]

Tom Ryan, a spokesman for Philip Morris USA, said the tobacco company supports a crackdown on tax evasion. "The people really hurt by all this are the retailers who are doing business legitimately." he said. "Jobs are on the line."

And the tobacco companies wonder why we don't support them? They are contemptible.

Hey look man what exactly do you expect them to say? They have already been drained of billions of dollars. Hey everyone buy smokes online? I don't think so. I am pretty shure the tobacco companies are laughing their butt off about this stuff.