Jul
09
Posted on 07-09-2007 at 11:53am
Taxing The Cigarette Tax
Filed Under (Health, Government & Politics) by badbadivy on 07-09-2007

Emily thinks the cigarette tax is stupid:

For example, in an article recently published by the Chattanooga Times Free Press, Senator Kurita - a democrat from Clarksville AND a registered nurse proposed two versions of our now in-tact bill, one of which would increase the tax by $1, resulting in $386.6 million additional dollars per year that would go towards HEALTH CARE. I’m sorry. Does anyone else see a problem there? Like I previously stated, none of us really believes that a tax hike is going to prevent anyone from reducing their spending on cigarettes. Cigarettes are a DRUG. People are addicted to them. They will do whatever it takes to continue buying them, regardless of the financial burden. So basically, lawmakers are saying, “Sure, go ahead and buy all you want. We’ll just use the extra tax to pay for your lung transplant.”

In all actuality, I’m not entirely against taxing vices like smoking. In my perfect world, I’d make pot legal and tax the crap out of that, too. It seems to me to be the perfect compromise between the hedonists of the world like me, and the purists of the world.

What’s stupid to me is all this anti-smoking legislation (nanny state! nanny state!), yet there’s no real plan in place to help people quit. I know several people who have successfully quit using Chantix, yet my health insurance will not pay for it.  There’s no free samples of Chantix, and there are no programs (that I know of) that will help me pay for it. But my health insurance doesn’t mind paying if I get cancer or emphysema.

Of course, all the nanny state legislation makes me wanna keep smoking til I’m dead, because I’m a rebel like that. Kidding. Sort of.

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Comments

Rachel Walden on 9 July, 2007 at 12:00 pm #

Ivy, exactly. I detest when cigarette taxes rise but absolutely nothing is done with that money to help people quit.


john h on 9 July, 2007 at 12:05 pm #

For what it’s worth (and I usually get in trouble if I talk about work), the Health Dept is going to get a LOT of money for baseline surveys and smoking cessation. We believe in Chantix and are going to be looking at ways to get it to the folks who need it.

The next big push in the HD is going to be smoking cessation..probably in the fall. I do believe that this WILL be a good and appropriate use of those tax dollars.


Rachel Walden on 9 July, 2007 at 12:34 pm #

John,
Good to know. Keep us posted on that?


Kat Coble on 9 July, 2007 at 12:41 pm #

the Health Dept is going to get a LOT of money for baseline surveys and smoking cessation. We believe in Chantix and are going to be looking at ways to get it to the folks who need it.

Oh goody. The government is here to help.

I’m sorry, but this just ticks me OFF, big time.

Why can’t we let smoking be people’s own business?

I don’t particularly care if you smoke or not. I love how we made smoking the social equivalent of booger-eating all so trial attorneys could win lawsuits and people could go around saying “I don’t spit in your food, don’t smoke in mine” with an air of sanctimony.

But this whole thing about taking tax dollars to get people to quit smoking irks me.

It really does. Really really does.

Why do we ALL have to pay taxes on what we eat so that the government can help people quit smoking?

People made their choice to smoke.

And if anybody from the government comes around in five years trying to get me to “eat healthy” I WILL stick a fork in their eyes.


Eric on 9 July, 2007 at 1:23 pm #

On a similar note, Mississippi (the great state where I live) wants to raise taxes on cigarettes and lower taxes on groceries (i.e. the sales tax). Currently, Mississippians pay 7% sales tax and, if you want to buy cigarettes, pay 18 cents per pack. They wanted to raise the cigarette tax to $1.00/pack and cut the sales tax in half.

Personally, I couldn’t care less if they do impose a higher tax on cigarettes, considering that I don’t smoke…but I do wish they’d knock down the sales tax a little bit.

What would Tennesseans think if Tennesee were to propose the same law?


Mike D on 9 July, 2007 at 1:30 pm #

I’ve made this point before on my site but raising taxes - regardless of what that money goes to - is the most effective way to curb any type of behavior because it increases the smoker’s incentive to quit because it imposes a direct cost on the continued behavior.

A ban in restaurants? No incentive to quit, you’ll just take your habit elsewhere.

Education on smoking’s health effects? No incremental benefit - everyone knows smoking is bad for you. Smokers still know that it’s fun for them.

But raising taxes? Now I have to weigh the benefit of my two pack-a-day habit against the extra cost (nearly $300 a year). Now you’re talking about my habit or a nicer Christmas for my kids.


badbadivy on 9 July, 2007 at 1:52 pm #

John: That’s good to know. Statistically, the majority of smokers are the working poor, being able to afford the $108 up front to buy Chantix is very hard. Giving everyone the opportunity to try this to quit is a good thing.

Kat: I can see where you are coming from. I hate the government being all up in my shit, too, however, I like taxes you can choose not to participate in, such as smoking, drinking, the lottery, etc. If they take that money and make it more feasible for the poor to quit, that’s cool with me. Addiction is a bitch, quitting on your own is hard. But with help, that’s nifty.

Eric: I smoke *and* I buy groceries, so to me, it’s six of one, half dozen of the other. To other people, it might reduce their burden quite a bit. As long as they are doing something to help people quit, i’m down.


exsmoker on 26 September, 2007 at 3:12 am #

Hello All,

I was reading around some of the posts here and I found interesting things that you guys talk about, I just made a blog about quitting smoking resources and ideas that you might want to check out.
If someone is interested in this topic just go to; http://endthehabitnow.blogspot.com and let me know what you think.
Thanks in advance.


exsmoker on 30 September, 2007 at 10:36 pm #

Hello All,

I was reading around some of the posts here and I found interesting things that you guys talk about, I just made a blog about quitting smoking resources and ideas that you might want to check out.
If someone is interested in this topic just go to; http://endthehabitnow.blogspot.com and let me know what you think. Your honest feedback would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.