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'Robo-calls' are lobbying for a $2 tax on cigarettes
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We beat up on the smokers, I smoked at one time, but quit when they hit 50 cents a pack too expensive, so as we push for more and more smoking bans and those revenues the government enjoyed are drying up, lets just raise the taxes on tobacco again. Look at the cancers that are out there that are not even cancer related, hard to make the case on tobacco alone, so here's a thought why not get the U.S. Congress to give the states the monies they use to subsidize the tobacco farmers..just a thought..naw makes too much sense, just raise the arbitrary and punitive tax on the smokers it's easier.
Will the Am. Heart Assoc. get behind a "junk food tax" next? Oops! I forgot, too many people do that so its probably politically incorrect!
Bottom Line: Even nonsmokers should be AGAINST any further incursion into peoples lives!
By the way, out of all the lawsuits against the tobacco co's regarding ex-airline workers subjected to second hand smoke, not one dime has been awarded by juries!
THINK ABOUT IT!
Anyone see the inversions lately, breathing that in is like smoking cigerettes, why not add taxes to the people who drive cars ala Britain. I don't drive and I don't like breathing it in, tax those people more who drive to pay for some of the costs for the contributions to pollution.
Why not shut down the most polluting industrial companies on red days.
Why not legalize marijuana, charge 15-20 a pack and use those funds for healthcare for people, even the poor? Or at the very least legalize hemp and medicinal marijuana,even if in this state that might seem outlandish though the Pharm companies are revered.
I'm tired of the moral hypocracy of this state.
The Cancer society laments about all the money the tobacco co's. spread around, BUT THEY have got to be putting a lot of money into all those "stop smoking ads" on TV. It seems to me that that money could go a long ways in providing health or cancer care for deserving folks. Besides, its hard to find ANY smoker who doesn't know its bad for you, SO WHY SPEND ALL THAT MONEY ON THOSE INCESSANT ADS!
Secondly, if one state raises the tax, then most smokers will just buy them from a surrounding state where the tax is less AND the health police don't have their foot in the door with legislators. Some states back east have kept their cig. taxes low just so people from surrounding states will come and pickup a few cartons and maybe spend other money while they're there! Raising the tax MAY make the health police happier but probably WON'T raise much more revenue!
By the way: as far as their "80%" number, the survey co's. will basically come back with whatever numbers YOU WANT THEM TO!
I also get regular appeals from the American Cancer Society begging for money.
Never again will I contribute to the ACS.
I did not realize my contributions would be funding annoying robo-calls, aimed at influencing legislation, and wanting to raise taxes (albeit on a totally worthless product).
Bad call, ACS!
You see, that phone number is a line used ONLY for family communications and emergencies -- and your evening call was intrusive and annoying.
IF you follow this up with a "live" call from a volunteer, I can assure you that they will hear language from this lady that they may not have heard before.
I've already heard from three other people who feel the same as I do.
Your efforts, "Cancer Society", will backfire.
Would they support a 2 buck tax per...gallon of ice cream?...fast food meal?...12 pack of soda?
Obesity is behind much of our health care costs as well. If you're going to tax cigarettes so highly using the health care costs argument, food that leads to obesity should be included as well. Same thing.
Unless, of course, you just don't like smokers, and this is really a tax to punish them for doing something you don't agree with. Kind of like the high taxes on my liquor!!
If smoking is so bad, making it illegal is actually the better plan.
Don't be fooled by the government, they like the tax revenus more than they care about eliminating the costs related to smoking.
Were ANY of those cancers caused by smoking?
If not, why is Nourse singling out smokers?
If telemarketers were not enough to be invasive, then this tactic should certainly push the limit. I stopped answering my phone when I knew it wasn't a friend, a family member, or work calling me. If they want to waste their money on this facility, go ahead. Just don't waste our time with these calls.
A good way to get even. I quit-you quit-everyone wins!!!
I roll up my windows of my car when I have to be behind or next to a smoker hanging his cigarette or blowing smoke outside the car.
I have dear friends that we have to limit our time and places we can go as they can't go 30 minutes without a cigarette. We can't even go to a restaurant and finsih dinner without them having to outside for a smoke break! Sad, sad, sad.
Please stop!
And those robocalls. I just don't answer the phone anymore. I let the message center pick up and unless it is family or friends, they get deleted.
Sorry!
Another point: when the states' attorney generals got the tobacco settlement money they forgot to read the fine print that said the less tobacco sold in the state the less the tobacco co's. had to pay to each state! As a result, the state legislatures in the various states decided it WASN'T such a great idea to get more people to quit. THEY COULDN'T AFFORD THE DROP IN REVENUE FROM THE TOBACCO SETTLEMENT.
My son smokes even though he can't afford it. Raising taxes won't help him quit. If you really care about him, and others like him, you will earmark all additional cigarette taxes towards smoking cessation programs in order to help smokers kick the habit.
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