Rising cost of taking a puff

[sdifox]

Reserve Cig is where it's at

 

[preslove]

What about people like my mom, the only places she smokes is inside her own home. She enjoys it, knows the risks but doesn't care. Nobody deals with her 2nd hand smoke, so she's not harming anyone but herself. Last time I checked this was a free country. And if they added another $15 per pack I'm 100% sure she'd keep on smoking.




It doesn't work well, when I use to work at a liquor store and CA added the tax, which made them jump like 2 bucks a pack. None of the regulars quit because of it. Many bitched, they they all ended up finding other things to cut out of their lives so they could continue to afford to smoke. We had about 100 regulars who bought smokes every day. I don't remember one who quit when the tax went way up. The tax is a way for states to make more $$$, people addicted to Nicotine aren't going to quit simply because the prices go up. They'll adjust the budget and find a way to keep the habit going.

Do you have any data backing up the non-correlation between the price of cigarettes and smoking rates?

 

[LTC8K6]

Grow your own tobacco and roll your own cigs. It's getting to be a bigger and bigger crop every year. Plus, you know what's in your cigs.

 

[QueBert]

Do you have any data backing up the non-correlation between the price of cigarettes and smoking rates?

When people are addicted to something they find a way to get that something. Crackheads steal, Speed Freaks will have sex with you for enough $ to get high. I'm sure some people stop smoking with the taxes go up. I had regular customers who said if Cigs hit $20 a pack they'd cut out a meal every day so they can afford to stay smoking. Smokers as a whole won't stop smoking because of a $ hike.

 

[bobdole369]

She enjoys it, knows the risks but doesn't care.

I won't start putting words in someones mouth, or acting like I know somebody personally, or telling someone what to do.

Ponder something for a second. Smokers only think they enjoy smoking. What it really is: They enjoy not smoking far less. The pain of withdrawal is far more than the ease of smoking.

I won't get too deep into it - suffice to say that the cigarette business spent a lot of money a long time ago specifically to create a product that changes the way you think, act, feel, and makes you hand them money every single day.

Once I realized the lie - and that I really could live without lighting up every hour or so, I got so pissed off about it. This is why I'm an asshole former smoker. I want to ERADICATE it.

 

[bobdole369]

When people are addicted to something they find a way to get that something. Crackheads steal, Speed Freaks will have sex with you for enough $ to get high. I'm sure some people stop smoking with the taxes go up. I had regular customers who said if Cigs hit $20 a pack they'd cut out a meal every day so they can afford to stay smoking. Smokers as a whole won't stop smoking because of a $ hike.

There is a certain point where it gets to be too much. I'm sure you know the customers and all, but I think that if it becomes a serious choice between feeding their children or smoking, a lot of people would put down the Marlboros. Granted a lot of them would then send the kids to the state and keep on puffing. Nicotine is a helluva drug man.

 

[Pardus]

Even if cigarettes cost $100 per pack, people would still pay for it then quit.. addiction is tough to beat. Most New Yorkers go to PA or NJ once a month to avoid the tax.

 

[PingSpike]

I quit over a year ago, thankfully, and even If I wanted to start again I couldn't afford it.

It's one of those outrageous luxury taxes I still for the life of me can't rationalize with. Do the rich only smoke now? It reminds me of the 17th century when only the wealthy class could enjoy sweets because they taxed the living shit out of sugar. Seems like we are coming back full circle. Instead of actually working or producing anything of real value, we will just starve the poor, and protect our wealth and standard of living by cutting off our right arms.

That's a good point, America is killing prosperity by not confronting these two problems head on:
1) Not enough junk food
2) Cigs to expensive

 

[PingSpike]

Grow your own tobacco and roll your own cigs. It's getting to be a bigger and bigger crop every year. Plus, you know what's in your cigs.

I don't understand why people don't do that. I mean if you smoke a pack a day that's 250-300/mo. So grow some tobacco in your basement with some grow lights and dry and roll it.

 

[TeeJay1952]

http://www.ecigaretteschoice.com/pr...ble-Menthol-Flavored-E%252dCigarette.html

 

[bobdole369]

I don't understand why people don't do that. I mean if you smoke a pack a day that's 250-300/mo. So grow some tobacco in your basement with some grow lights and dry and roll it.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100301171742AAuo5Cn

Its a yahoo answers answer, but one that i myself did reach. About 4 cartons per plant, with a couple months of drying time. 180 days to grow.

As a former smoker - I researched this myself. I found it impossible to pull off without some land at the right latitude. I would need enough lighting for it to appear as if I'm running a pot grow house. Electric cost exceeds $200 a month. May as well smoke.

 

[Fingolfin269]

I won't start putting words in someones mouth, or acting like I know somebody personally, or telling someone what to do.

Ponder something for a second. Smokers only think they enjoy smoking. What it really is: They enjoy not smoking far less. The pain of withdrawal is far more than the ease of smoking.

I won't get too deep into it - suffice to say that the cigarette business spent a lot of money a long time ago specifically to create a product that changes the way you think, act, feel, and makes you hand them money every single day.

Once I realized the lie - and that I really could live without lighting up every hour or so, I got so pissed off about it. This is why I'm an asshole former smoker. I want to ERADICATE it.

I used to be a regular and now like to have one from time to time if I'm having a drink. I don't see a problem with that scenario as it's no different than having a cigar really. Granted it may be cheaper to have a cigar soon...

 

[Ruptga]

I doubt many serious smokers will quit, but I think this will squeeze out some light smokers and keep many from starting the habit.

 

[GagHalfrunt]

Wow.

I've never smoked, but I've known people who've done 3 packs a day. Marlboros are about $4.50/pack here... that's just shy of $5k/year.

When I quit I was doing about a pack and a half to two packs a day and I was paying about $15 a carton. So I was spending less than $25 a week. In my area a carton is something like $85 now!! A person smoking 2 packs a day is spending over $6000 a year, just insane.

 

[BoomerD]

as with other things, the ones that can least afford it will be the ones who continue to smoke no matter what. "I'll quit when they reach xxxx per pack, you watch"

When I first started smoking, cigarettes were $1.80 per carton in the base commisary...in town, they were about 25 cents/pack. I remember cigarette prices in Washington hitting 40 cents/pack and I said, "Fuck that...when they hit 50 cents, I'm quitting."

Fast forward a couple of decades and the "Rob Reiner tax" of 25 cents/pack hit here in Kahleeforneeya, and "Fuck that...I'm quitting." My wife did, but not me...

Now, the average price of a carton of Marlboros is $45 + tax, (about $51) and I'm still smoking, but after the last time I quit, (1-1/2 years) I'm down to about half a pack per day. I was actually "thrilled" the other day when I found them on sale for $35/carton...so I bought 2.

Even though I'm sure that it's too late to avoid any "smoking-related illness or diseases," I'm about to try to quit again. Probably sometime in July.

No, I don't really look at all the money that's "gone up in smoke," because you could do that with every "non-essential" purchase that you make..."Look at all the money you piss away when you buy beer," or "Look at all the money you've wasted with constant computer upgrading over the years." (that one can be scary amounts!!)

BUT, I'm getting tired of smelling like an ashtray...there are ZERO redeeming qualities about smoking...and tons of negatives...yet we addicts continue to smoke.

 

[mrjminer]

After smoking a pack a day for about 8 years, I just quit a week and a half ago, primarily due to price.

What I find amusing, is the cheapest place to get them is Walgreens. Saves roughly $1 a pack, but only if you buy two. Cartons are about the same price, though.

'Luxury' taxes are BS when the same taxes aren't applied to... say... alcohol. I don't know how many other products there are that get taxed between 50-75% of what the cost would be

 

[Phoenix86]

Sure there is, if it gets people to quit. There is nothing good about smoking.

IF?

I'm curious, do these taxes even go to a health care fund?

 

[mrjminer]

I'm curious, do these taxes even go to a health care fund?

I have no idea, but here's my uneducated response to your question: ROFL

 

[FeuerFrei]

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[GasX]

Sure there is, if it gets people to quit. There is nothing good about smoking.

its pleasurable - that's good.

 

[moshquerade]

its pleasurable - that's good.

explain the pleasure. it relaxes you? it would seem the pleasure is outweighed by the fact if you don't get your nicotine fix at certain intervals of time you start to feel panicky, edgy, and act like a freakin bitch to your co-workers until you can go outside and get your drug. (I'm describing a heavy smoker at work)

 

[highland145]

Dad has emphysema after 50+ years of smoking. Not a lot of sympathy for the cause but it's killing him, it isn't pretty and he's my Dad.

 

[BoomerD]

Nicotine is an odd drug. It both relaxes you and "picks you up" at the same time.

Yes, like any addict, you start to get "edgy" when you're without for long periods of time.

I've actually been talking about quittine for 3 years, but my wife keeps threatening to leave for a month or so if I do. Apparently she thinks I'm "difficult to get along with" when I quit smoking...
I tell her that it's not ME who's difficult...it's her. If she'd just shut the fuck up...and leave me to suffer in silence...I'd get through it.
(but truthfully, she's right...)

 

[GuitarDaddy]

Never ending tax increases is one of the main reasons I quit

 

[highland145]

never ending tax increases is one of the main reasons i quit

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