What's up with taxes on cigarettes?

My home state (Ohio) is going bonkers with taxes. On July 1st they will impose a $.70 tax per pack tax on cigarettes

I know smoking isn't popular. I know it's not good for you. But give me a break.

I feel the same way about all other "sin" taxes, like raising taxes on beer and wine.

It's the government trying to babysit us, by taxing a behaivior out of existence. It's utter crap IMO.

what do you think?

 

So how much do you pay for a 20box marlboro's?

 

I would guess, proll about $41-43 but I am not sure I don't smoke them I smoke camel-lites. that's for 10 ( a carton)

 

No that's not how i meant 20,
How much a piece like 20 cigarettes in one box?

 

there prolly going to be about $4+ dollars

 

Oh ok, well the extra 70 cents increase sucks, here in holland the taxes just grow like 10 cents per half year, were at €4 now

 

no that's what they WILL be. sorry Lol. they will be over $4 dollars a pack on july 1st.


I think I will just say screw it and quit.

 

dang i dont even wanna think about cigarettes, i can't smoke at work.. just 2 more hours...

 

Thats your best bet....I quit after about 20yrs. It was rough but soooooooooooooo glad I did.

 

talk about babysitting, there was actually a debate here to increase insurance policy for fat people, so fat people pay more because they get faster heart attacks... didn't hear about the results yet

 

And in the land off the three heh (canada) it's around $8.50 for a pack, lucky for me i don't smoke....

 

i guess i am the lucky one but i think its because i roll my own it only cost about $10 to roll alittle more thin a carton

 

OMG I bet a lot of people cross the border for cigs, I know I would.

 

LOL. Just as well you put that there; somebody would probably take you seriously.

Sin taxes, luxury taxes, entertainment taxes... They're all "minority taxes", designed to take a chunk of our cash, but since each individual tax only affects a minority of the people, there's not enough offended voters for any given tax to make any difference to the politicians.

Hidden taxes are another favorite, like the federal excise tax any time you buy car tires, gasoline tax, and lots of other things.

Big Brother ain't just watching you, he's fleecing you.

 

Don`t get me started on taxes...NY was brought to it`s knees by what seemed like CENTURIES of Mario Cuomo`s typical democrat tax and spend policies....and 5 bucks for a pack of smokes is typical of policies like that

 

Mellowman...my hubby pays $35 here for a carton of Camel Lights

Having recently landed on this side of the world, it is noticeably much cheaper in taxes than the UK, especially on ciggies. A pack of brand name in the UK is over $8 now. And most of that is tax. When I was out in Greece they had a noticeboard showing the percentage difference of ciggie prices across Europe compared to Greece, with UK ciggies costing 240% more!!!!

People will pay it, as CP says. How many smokers have said "When it gets to 3 bucks I'm giving up?". Yeah yeah...we've all been there, but when it comes to the crunch, it's now nearly 4 bucks and you still have no intention of quitting. The government know this....and they ride on this. The UK government have done very nicely out of it thank you for decades. Watch out America...your next

I wish to make it clear I know how hard it is to quit...been there, done that...several times.....this is not a dig at smokers

 

We're not next Lev, we're already there, just not as deeply as the U.K. and Europe.

Cause & effect: We demand (or the politicos offer) more social services and more federal "help". The price tag is higher taxes to pay for it. The more they "help", the more they tax. The U.K. has a lot more social services than we do, and they pay through the nose for it. Their "free health care" isn't free, it's paid for by taxes.

TAANSTAFL. There ain't no such thing as a free lunch.

 

seems to me we are about due for another "tea party"

 

Agreed...I stand corrected

The UK has recently started amalgamating it's Social Services with it's Education and calling it Children's Services......another wonderful way of cutting back, but also it is reducing the overgrown local government departments (I know...I used to be part of it!). And the health care...well ask any Brit who has needed surgery....even if it was "free", the waiting lists are so incredible for anything that if you really need it quickly then you end up paying again for private health care on top of what you have already paid through taxes. Ask any UK politician if they DON'T have a private health care plan

 

They can charge how ever mutch they wan't because you know people will pay it. BTW in GA a carton of marlboros is 25 bucks. I smoke camels but I never buy by the carton.

Does anyone buy online?

 

Have a look at the Health Budget as a proporion of the National Budget in any country. Have a look at the diseases that people are suffering from, that cause the heaviest drains on the budget. Alcohol based diseases (heavily taxed), Cancer (a lot is smoking related cancers) (also heavily taxed), heart attacks (sometimes alcohol/tobaccos/obesity related, or combination of those) and road accidents (heavy tax on vehicles, also), are the biggest users of the Health budget $$$, pounds, euros, drachma, or whatever.

If less people over indulged in cig smoking, alcohol drinking, fast food (wrong choice of food) over indulgence, and drove more carefully, the amount of monies required for the health would plummet.

Unfortunately, most of us have one or more of these "vices" and that is why tax on those pastimes is high. The Government hope we will give them up, but they also like to rake in the money (tax) they provide. Catch-22, I guess. That's my $0.02, FWIW. Bazza

 

Well, there was a previous post about rolling your own cigarettes, so I went out and bought a kit. This stuff is freaken cheap. But, I've yet to get the hang of the cigarette machine.

So far, brewing my own beer is easier than "making" cigarettes.

 

that was me who posted about it after afew trys you will get the hang of it i thought myself useing a roller that was over 10years old but when i got that new roller it was easyer thin cooking a hotpocket lol so trust me you will save alot of money doing it that wayi need to get me a starter pack that way i can get the hardpack for them so i dont have to keep useing old packs lol

 

I am a posterboy of why health care is expensive

 

I used to roll my own too...wayyyyy cheaper...but lose the roller and learn to do it by hand. Much simpler and you don't have to carry extra stuff.

 

If it causes health or social problems, it should be taxed heavily. Youy have the option of buying them or not.

 

so your in favor of the government selectivley taxing people?

 

That's not what it is. Vices cost taxpayers whether you like it or not. Carnage on the roads from impaired drivers. People dying from cigarette related illness. The only way to recover a portion of these costs without bumping up everyone's tax rates is by taxing the users. I like to drink. I pay my share of tax on that booze. I'm ok with that because it's my choice to drink.

 

What about gas?