Reader comments
Jay Evensen: Cigarette-tax hike could be boon to state, prevention
23 comments | Read story
With all of the scientific evidence and medical evidence that shows that smoking causes all sorts of health problems, banning it is the only logical thing to do. Since they just tax it hoping it will stop some people, that is just a way of getting more money out of people that are not smart enough to just quit.
Utah already has the trust fund that Evensen is talking about. Nearly half of the MSA money is going into this trust fund right now. Most of the rest goes to CHIP, presumably because most uninsured middle-low income child have tobacco-related health problems.
Tobacco companies will end up subsidizing the higher tax so that the actual cost to consumers will not increase right away...don't want to lose their users, at least not to price concerns.
Please don't give me the arguement that smokers die earlier and they are therefore a lessor burden on the healthcare system. Their heart disease, their cancer, and their lost wages more than make-up for a shortened life. Check the medical costs of a stroke, heart attack, or cancer. That is not to mention the mental toll on the friends and family of those who smoke.
To argue that fats and sugars are a bigger health risk in Utah than tobacco, should not mean a change in the tobacco tax. Education programs on eating healthy cost money, so supoort a tax on sugared beverages and fatty foods. It is not an either-or proposal.
I would put tobacco in the former category (luxury) as I would restaurant food, luxury cars, movies, novels, gambling, theatre tickets, expensive clothing, luxury hotels, candy, recreational vehicles and alcohol.
On the other hand basic food items, cheaper cars, budget clothing, text books?, modest real estate etc are necessities and should never be taxed.
Please stop taxing the citzens of the USA. Why don't you try an novel idea, that being, live within a budget!
Children and teens are easy targets for the tobacco industry. They are heavily influenced by TV, movies, advertising and peers. And tobacco companies know the younger a person is when they begin to smoke, the more addicted they are to develop a long-term addiction (lifelong customers for the tobacco company.) Nicotine is known to be as addictive as heroine or cocaine. Like Mark Twain say, �Quitting smoking is easy, I�ve done it a thousand times.� If raising the tax keeps our kids from starting smoking, it will be money will spent.
DO YOU MORONS THINK THE PRIOROTIES ARE A LITTLE MIXED UP ???? TOBACCO IS LEGAL WETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT AND TO PLACE RESTRICTIONS UPON IT IS DISCRIMINATION
Add your comment
Comments are monitored. Any comments found to be abusive, offensive, off-topic, misrepresentative, more than 200 words or containing URLs will not be posted.
E-mail address: For internal use only. We may want to contact you to publish your comment (not your e-mail address) in the newspaper or for a separate story idea.
- Lakers booed at home in loss 12:53 a.m.
- Big games keep UHSAA coffers full 12:51 a.m.
- TCU stuck at fourth in BCS 12:50 a.m.
- Students from abroad come to Utah 12:26 a.m.
- Sports on the air 12:18 a.m.
- Sports briefs 12:17 a.m.
- Editorial: Red flags at Fort Hood 12:14 a.m.
- Rid Capitol Hill of 'roaches' 12:14 a.m.
- Health proposal not 'reform' 12:14 a.m.
- Afterthoughts 12:14 a.m.
- BYU happy to escape with victory
230 - TCU creams U.
225 - Editorial: Mormons and gay rights
206 - Will state consider gay rights law?
149 - Can BYU root for (ick) Utah Utes?
131 - RSL heads to MLS title game
125 - Utes remain silent about BCS
120 - Celtics crush Jazz
104 - TCU stays 4th in AP; Y. 19th, U. 23rd
97 - 3A: Hurricane advances to title game
88
Maybe someone out there can help me understand how raising the state...
No, students are NOT safe from predators. If a parent wants to make sure...
If you really think Mormon's are mainstream, you must not have paid attention...
I don't see the schools presidents voting to get rid of WYM or NM, even...
why people complain about how football is covered by the media too much. when...
A little perspective is not a bad thing. Notice the Cougar's won loss record...
I actually was encouraged by some aspects of the game. Any Utah fan who has...
A story about Mormons as minorities? In this paper? Get over the "victim"...
she was an awesome woman someone i looked up to when i was younger she was...
Wow you just made one of the dumbest comments I've heard yet. Fire Bronco????...
Re: Huh?, You like many other haters are probably oblivious to many obvious...

