New Taxes Push Cigarette Prices Over $8 A Pack In New York

[Alonzo]

Killing yourself in NY just got more expensive:

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.

http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7011151900

[PostmodernProphet]

when taxes went up I switched to Swisher Sweets Little Cigars....exempt from tax here in Michigan.....instead of $4-5 a pack I pay $1.50......

[preservanation]

The problem is the economic reality of deminishing returns.
Staes rely on cig taxes to fund everything from roads to education.
The last thing they want is for people to stop smoking.
When's the last time you heard of a bill that would make them illegal, hmmmmmm?
If cigs are as bad as they say, you know it all by now, then it should be their moral and civic duty to at least Introduce a bill!

Not only do people go out of state or the Internet, but do what PMP did.
WI, where I live, raised cig taxes $1...guess what revenue Went Down.
Now the state has to raise property taxes to cover for the shortfall.
When will these libs understand suply side economics and the reality that cutting taxes raises revenue.
Idiots.

IMO, it's not about health or smoking, it's about social engineering, population control and expanding Govt.

[bishop]

i believe people easily get around that tax by buying their smokes on the internet in bulk.

[Osborn F. Enready]

I just roll my own cigarettes from quality tobaccos and papers purchased online, or via mail.

Screw the taxman. My per pack cost varies between .67 and .97 cents for cigarettes that taste better and have less chemicals than any of the name brands.

[jafar00]

I just go to my local café for a nice Shisha. Costs US$1 :)
I don't smoke cigarettes though.

[Rage]

Marxist bullcrap, but hai, in florida I pay around a few dollars.

[NortheastCynic]

Cigars, ladies and gents, my answer to cigarette taxes.

Good stuff.

-NC

[Katrolis]

grow weed for free

oh god Im in the spybot now

the best advice I can give is fly below the radar

the government hates personal independance

and im a vet that could school the new FBI wannabis!

[penmyst]

Killing yourself in NY just got more expensive:

FREEDOM to kill yourself in NY just got more expensive:

Fixt!

[Alonzo]

FREEDOM to kill yourself in NY just got more expensive:

Fixt!

And if you don't have health insurance the state will be paying for your final hospital bills.

If you want to be technical, It just became harder to become a burden to the state and taxpayers.

[Osborn F. Enready]

Alonzo said:
If you want to be technical, It just became harder to become a burden to the state and taxpayers.

Unfortunately, they had no right to assume that burden with taxpayers money in the first place......

[Alonzo]

Which is a pointless argument since the law won't be changed to allow hospitals to turn away patients, and if they have to treat them then someone will have pay for it if the hospital is to remain in business, either through premiums or government.

Should or shouldn't, right or not, it's a pointless argument as it's reality and we both know it's not going away.

[Osborn F. Enready]

Alonzo said:
Which is a pointless argument since the law won't be changed to allow hospitals to turn away patients, and if they have to treat them then someone will have pay for it if the hospital is to remain in business, either through premiums or government.

Should or shouldn't, right or not, it's a pointless argument as it's reality and we both know it's not going away.

You forgot to say "in your opinion" after you were done.

[Buck Laser]

I guess it would be insensitive of me to note that I don't give a rat's patootie how much they tax tobacco. I busted my ass to quit smoking in 1973, probably the hardest habit I ever broke. I still have dreams about smoking.

I say tax the crap out of it.

[NortheastCynic]

I guess it would be insensitive of me to note that I don't give a rat's patootie how much they tax tobacco. I busted my ass to quit smoking in 1973, probably the hardest habit I ever broke. I still have dreams about smoking.

I say tax the crap out of it.So because A: You aren't a smoker and B: You quit smoking and C: It was hard, they should tax the hell out of cigarettes?

Hard to argue with that logic.

-NC

[Buck Laser]

So because A: You aren't a smoker and B: You quit smoking and C: It was hard, they should tax the hell out of cigarettes?

Hard to argue with that logic.

-NC
Hey, in this case, I don't really care! :evil: I've lost three or four close relatives* to the ravages of smoking, and I'm for anything that will discourage its use.

I do recognize that these taxes fall heaviest on some people who can't afford them. Therefore I'd like to see some of the tax revenue go to smoking cessation programs. Unfortunately, most states pissed away the huge settlement from the tobacco industry on things unrelated to tobacco problems.

*My grandfather, an uncle and an aunt died of lung cancer. My father died of a heart attack. Smoking was a contributing factor to his heart disease.

[Mia]

Os, I agree with Zo here. It derails the debate to bring up and 'if and should' sometimes.

When people are trying to discuss taxes within the reality of what the tax system is now is one of those cases, imo.

On the pricing - dang. I'm old enough to remember saying if they went to $2/pack I'd quit.

Now I pay over $5.......I guess I can't lie to myself and say I'd DEFINITELY quit at $8/per, but I sure hope so.

I say tax it up to $20/pack, to finance the health care as was mentioned, and cause more people to quit. Also use some of the money for cessation-programs. But that would just create a black-market and another way for OC to make money.

SIGH, I guess it comes down to freaking will-power..........

[NortheastCynic]

I do recognize that these taxes fall heaviest on some people who can't afford them. Therefore I'd like to see some of the tax revenue go to smoking cessation programsThat doesn't make the tax any less regressive, nor does it make your argument any more logical. I'm in favor of regulating smoking when it violates the rights of others. I favor public [as in, land owned by no one, sidewalks, etc.] smoking bans but do not favor regulation of smoking that violates the rights of the smoker nor will I favor this kind of taxation. And it isn't from not having seen the ill effects of smoking.

*My grandfather, an uncle and an aunt died of lung cancer. My father died of a heart attack. Smoking was a contributing factor to his heart disease.
I'm sorry for your losses.

-NC