Tobacco Federal Excise Tax Increased by ....?

[renegade_xs11g]

Smokers across the country may be caught by surprise when buying cigarettes or other tobacco products today as the nationwide tobacco tax increase takes effect. The 62 cent per pack tax increase on cigarettes has gotten some media coverage but the nearly 2200% tax increase on Roll Your Own (RYO) tobacco and even higher increase on small cigars hasn't received anywhere near the attention we believe it deserves. Some manufacturers and retailers are even taking advantage of the tax increase by raising the prices on $2 pouches of rolling tobacco to over $5. Frankly, this April Fool's joke doesn't strike me as being funny at all.

The expanded SCHIP bill passed by Congress and signed into law by President Obama on Feb 4 Raises the FET (Federal Excise Tax) on Roll Your Own tobacco to $24.78 per pound, a $23.68 INCREASE!
A tobacco farmer receives less than $2 per pound for his tobacco, and retail prices for one pound bags of some brands were previously available (inclusive of the old $1.10/lb FET) for under $10. How is it even legal for the U.S. Government to tax a product at over twice it's retail price? They didn't plant, care and grow the crop, or cut, cure or age it and they certainly didn't process, package and distribute it. Yet somehow our Federal officials believe they are justified to profit off the labors of others at levels that dwarfs the combined profits of every single step in the chain!

Studies show that most cigarette smokers are low to middle class workers, and most people who roll their own cigarettes are the working poor, unemployed or on fixed incomes. It's truly a sad day in our great country's history when our politicians don't think twice about thrusting a 2200% tax increase on the poorest segment of society. If any private sector company suddenly raised their prices by 2000% you can surely bet that there would be lawsuits filed by the states Attorneys General with charges of racketeering and price gouging, but who is going to challenge the Federal Government?


Quoted from ryorevolution.com RYO=Roll Your Own

I've been rolling/making my own smokes for over 5 years....many reasons, cost was on top...3-4 cartons for the family per week
6oz bag makes almost a carton
1lb bag makes 3

6oz bag used to cost ~8or9 bucks
1lb bag used to cost ~19~23 bucks

reading the tax increase correctly a 1lb bag should have increased by $23.68,
& the 6oz bag ~8.88

MICHIGAN RASIED THE SAME ON BOTH SIZES

How many other people are ticked about this???????

[Crazcnuk]

personally I think we should give all the drug users 3 chances to quit, and if they can't...shoot em.

In reality, I find it hilarious how someone can come across a self-replicating demand product, that does absolutely nothing for the user, yet has serious health concerns for the user and anyone in thier imediate vicinity...

AND PEOPLE FALL FOR IT, no matter the cost.

[The Lorax]

It seems to me that is a two part reasoning. first, it's a "sin tax" if you're not going to live the way the benevolent powers that be think you should, they are going to make you pay for it. second is simple economics, the feds just passed a massive budget, many times more than they have been able to extort from the masses, how do you tax the poor without increasing their taxes? tax their habits, especially the ones they cannot give up, they will pay it, and the feds know it. it goes right along with the "carbon tax" that will be levied against power companies that continue to burn coal, the power companies will pass the cost along to the consumer and guess who has the less efficient housing and subsequently the higher per unit cost to heat their homes...poor folks. it's all about the money, and the promises not to raise taxes on anyone making less than 250k/year, can't happen with our new budget, I personally think it's very clever, we the people are collectively stupid enough to buy what they're selling, and we consequently get what we deserve. and on a personal note, I don't really care about the tax increase, they're going to get their money one way or the other, and yes, I am a smoker and still see no good reason why I should give it up. and before anyone says it, I do not equate length of life with quality of life. I know that someday cancer will get me, in one form or another, I'm just choosing the less painful variety offered me. have a nice day and ride safe and don't read too much int this dribble, I am after all, full of beans

[crazy steve]

Heh heh....

Yep, all us smokers are sinners brother, and lower than the scum beneath the feet of right-thinking, non-smoking people, doncha know?

I know what you mean; carton prices went to over $60 here, and it's going to end up being cheaper to get hooked on prescription pain meds. That's how they'll get people to quit; you just won't be able to afford it. Might be time to get out the ol' gro-light again....

'78E original owner

[madmax-im]

Thing is abt cigarettes..it may have been your choice to smoke..initially but the tobacco companies have done everything they can to keep you addicted to their drug. Why is nicotine in cigarettes? Because its addictive and they spike the tobacco with it. I know people who for years have tried to quit and cannot do it...luckily I am not a smoker...but at times I am at just as high a risk by those around me and their second hand smoke.I live with a smoker but they know I would go ballistic if I smelled it in my house and I have...you may have the right to pollute your body with whatever you want but please respect my right to have clean air.The original post was about the high rise in taxes for tobacco...unless you quit you are going to pay alot more for it. BTW there is nothing painless about dying from tobacco induced cancer...I know because I have seen it it my family.

[The Lorax]

You are correct sir, nothing painless about it, but I referred to it as the less painful of the cancers that await me (potentially). I also have witnessed the death of someone via lung cancer, not pretty, but relatively quick. and I also do not smoke in my house, I forbade it when we bought the place as the kids were young and I believed they should not be exposed to the potential health risks, and I didn't want the smoke damage in my house ( Ironically, a couple years ago, we had a small house fire, nothing major, but threw my plans about keeping the smoke damage out of the house right out the window). I purchase 12 packs every 2 weeks, it used to cost around 45 bucks, now closer to 60. I know it's addictive, I know I'm addicted to the nicotine, I just don't care. I don't mean that to flip or anything, as I said, I got to watch the final effects of smoking first hand. when it comes down to choosing between cancer of the lung and cancer of the stomach (both run in my family) I'll take the lung every time, it's faster, and less painful. stomach cancer is one of the things in this world that truly frightens me, don't want any part of that. so after another overly long winded post, please don't be offended by my cavalier attitude about the macabre, I like my life and will enjoy it while I'm here but I don't get to stay forever and I figure if smoking takes 10 years off my life, so be it, I've had fun along the way and maybe it's the nicotine talking but I've enjoyed the smoke trail I've left behind. but with right, comes responsibility, that's why I smoke outside. ok, I'm done, I don't really want to explain any further, I'll just end up looking more like an a$$ than I usually do. Mad-maxim, please accept my condolences on your loss, be it last week, last year, or last century, the ones we love still leave a hole behind in us when they leave us. take care brother, truly have a nice day and ride safe

[wa407mpp]

In keeping with my no politics rule I will only say, it has nothing to do with stopping people from smoking, it's all about tobacco money and who controls it.

[Crazcnuk]

No, it's about addcts.

The gov't knows they can't say no, so why not tax the hell out of it?

Same as booze.

If you really want to thumb your nose at the gov't QUIT!

[b.walker5]

No, it's about addcts.

The gov't knows they can't say no, so why not tax the hell out of it?

Same as booze.

If you really want to thumb your nose at the gov't QUIT!

What is the tax for?? In my country we still have a state funded health system and the taxes help pay for the millions of dollars per year spent on smoking related illnesses, but as i understand it you guys in the states have to have medical insurance if you get sick, or you die slow painful deaths in public hospitals, so how do they justify the taxation.

By the way, I'm not a smoker, I'm worse, I'm an ex smoker, making me one of the biggest hypocrites around.

[Crazcnuk]

heh, I'm not from the US, hence the health care system comment.

It's like the TV show House. I think they should show the patient's bill at the end of each episode. Most of those cases would be $250,000+.

I thnk they said the bill for that lady that had the octuplets recently was over a million.

[webbcraft2150]

With a pack of smokes here getting close to the $6 mark, it does seem time for a review of this habit. Quiting is tough fur sure. However, I am heavily motivated. Local lab rat research center here is paying $1500 to sign up for a quit smoking study, and I am in line. Not only for the economic and health reasons, but I have earmarked the $1500 to go toward finally painting my 34 year old Power Wagon. This is someting that has been on the burner for the last 10 years but sumthin always seems to scoop up any money I have saved for it. So, if my marriage can survive thru this, and I can afford to redo my wardrobe with the potential weight gain I hear about, I look foward to once again having a shiney, orange and white truck in the driveway. One thing that sucks with a new paint job, I may get a little more reserved with my boonie bashing with the rig.

[trbig]

My first son spent just 10 days in a specialized neonatal center. The total bill for that was a tad over $268,000.... and that was 20 years ago! I don't see how those octuplets wouldn't be WAY more than that. Last I heard, some of them were STILL in the hospital.

That being said, I do think smokers put a heavy toll onto the medical system and should pay their share, and they usually do in the way of higher insurance rates, but is it any higher a burden than someone like me who is a definite carnivore and loves red meat??

I don't have any health problems yet and between what my employer and I pay for insurance for a family is @ $1200 a month, even though I have rarely used it in 10 years. Every raise I get in pay seems to be eaten up by a raise in insurance rates. Now I hear that my insurance (Healthchoice) is having financial problems and has stopped making payments to doctors in many cases.

I think everything boils down to having too many fat greedy fingers in a pie that isn't growing as fast as the fingers are.


Tod

[madmax-im]

Lorax ...I hope you dont feel that I am being critical of you or any smoker for their choices or habits. The last thing anyone wants to hear is a lecture about the risks etc...I am perfectly fine allowing people to make their own choices be it wearing the proper gear for riding or for choosing to smoke. On the other hand I know many who would love to quit but cant. I agree with others that have said the Gov't is relying on their addiction and taking advantage of it. Its all about the revenue they can generate from it.
Our health system is a travesty...while we have good Drs' and medical technology. We nonetheless have a system of the Haves and the Have Nots. Once a hospital learns you are a have not, watch how quickly the quality of medical care declines. Again money motivates as nothing else does.
Between the health care system and the tobacco industry it is not a level playing field and they damn well know it. Pls take care...

[The Lorax]

Mad-maxim,
Don't give it a second thought, SWMBO is a registered nurse so I hear it from her on a regular basis. I have a bit of a warped sense of humor, that coupled with being close enough to the casket to see events outside of time (it was a looong time ago) has given me a very cavalier outlook on the whole "meaning of life" thing. I try not to take myself too seriously and I've found that my outlook works for me. I can see, however, that others who do not know me too terribly well might think I'm just an ass....true enough, I'll own that. I'm not easily offended, my feelings don't get hurt quickly either, so feel free to lambast me at any time you feel I'm being insensitive to the world, I probably deserve it. the sad truth is I really do want to go skidding sideways into the grave screaming "what a ride!". so smile, have a cold one, and if your ever in southwest Ohio, look me up, I'll buy you a beer and tell you some stories have anice day and ride safe

[STEPPENWOLF]

I quit smoking 20 years ago...It's a mother ker to quit...but I could care less if ya smoke...none of my businees to tell ya what to do..this USED to be a FREE country..........