Tobbaco Users (and others against unfair burden and regulation)... Take note
A friend of mine got a "roll your own" machine recently, because it's dramatically cheaper than buying packs of cigarettes. They are easy to use, and you can control what goes into your cigarette (getting tobacco with no additives or organic tobacco, etc) Anyway she sent me this last night, an email from the place she buys tobacco:
Sent: Friday, January 16, 2009 1:23 PM
Subject: Note For Custom Blends Customers - Federal Tax Increases
To All Custom Blends Customers:
House Bill HR2 (Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009) has been introduced in the United States
House of Representatives, and sadly, once again, tobacco users are in the crosshairs. Now, generally speaking, we have no problem with helping to provide medical coverage for uninsured children - our main issue concerns the funding changes in this bill, because removing "Pay as you Go" knocks a funding hole in this program that the additional taxes on smokers can't fill. And the unfair tax increases for roll your own smokers are heavy - our customers should read on, this will unfortunately affect you. Some Details of this Federal Tax Hike: Effective date April 1, 2009
- The prepackaged cigarette tax rate goes from $.39 per pack to $1.00 per pack. This is in addition to your respective State taxes.
- Snuff taxes go from $.585 per pound to $1.50 per pound.
- The tax on pipe tobacco is raised from $1.0969 per pound to $2.8126 per pound.
- The tax on Roll Your Own tobacco will increase from $1.0969 per pound to $24.62 per pound (yes, $24.62 per pound.)
Additionally the definition of Roll Your Own has been "expanded" to include cigar wrappers such as "blunt wraps". The tax change to small cigars (such as Deans Flavored cigars in the 20 packs) will be phased in over a five year period.
Rates per year:
2009 & 2010 - $.25 per pack
2011 & 2012 - $.50 per pack
2013 & 2014 - $.75 per pack
2015 and beyond - $1.00 per pack
-----------------------------------------
There is no business that can absorb this kind of punishment and not change prices and methods. This is utterly out of our control, and we're as dismayed as you must be.
Because of this new Legislation (HR2) and additional pending State tax legislation that is directly targeting items such as rolling papers, machines, and filter tubes, we have to fundamentally change our pricing structure: When these new taxes take effect, we can no longer offer free tubes with our tobaccos, or offer the 10% discount on multiple bag purchases.
The in-store customer loyalty program also has to be amended
(perhaps canceled) - we have to wait until all of these new taxes are finalized before we can make rational decisions.
Yet another new tax applies here - it's called the floor tax. This tax applies to any tobacco products that are on the floor of any of our stores just prior to the April 1st tax hikes on tobacco. We will have to have little to no tobacco in our stores by March 31st, so we recommend you order several weeks before the deadline. We have to draw down inventory in time or face an enormous tax burden.
We can restock afterwards, but we need to be clear of tobacco on the floor for at least those two days, so please order early in March.
Finally, we strongly encourage you to contact your Senators and Representatives, and let them know how you feel about this unfairly targeted taxation. They should know that if raising taxes is so important, then everyone should share the burden. Tobacco users have long been the punching bag for legislators who lack the will to raise taxes on all citizens, and they need to know we're tired of it.
Please be firm, but reasoned if and when you write them - and feel
free to utilize the following link:
http://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml
It has already passed the House, and is awaiting a vote in the Senate.
Our Untouchables
Smokers have truly become The Untouchables of our nation.
Mobile-Friendly U.S. Constitution
I hate these bills. We had
I hate these bills. We had one here in Coloardo a few years ago. We got an additional $1.00 tax added to our cigarettes.
Here's the kicker though... We implement this tax to help pay for medical needs of people. The State budgets X amount to be obtained from cigarette taxes and to be forwarded to the health initiatives. But here's the problem, people begin to quit smoking. What happens when people quit smoking? Tax revenue goes down. Then, the budget isn't met and the State is required to take that money from someone else.
The State is now losing money and is in need of more smokers to help foot the bill. It's funny that this article was in the paper just the other day. There was a big headline, "Colorado in need of new smokers".
Everyone should fight these types of bills. Not because you don't like smoking, but because they don't work and prove to only cause problems come tax time.
Indepdent Ideas: Smoke 'em if you got 'em Thanks to Amendment 35
http://www.coloradodaily.com/news/2009/jan/11/smoke-em-if-yo...
In 2004, Coloradans overwhelmingly passed Amendment 35, a tobacco tax that helps expand state-funded health care for the working poor, the uninsured and children.
Amendment 35 also funds professional busybodies who use tax dollars to try and get people to quit smoking.
The busybodies must be doing something right, because smoking is on the decline in Colorado. This is bad news for uninsured children. Fewer smokers means fewer tax dollars for state-funded health care.
The obvious answer is that Colorado needs more smokers.
In its first year, Amendment 35 brought in more than $169 million. Since then, both adult smoking levels and the tobacco tax revenues generated by smoking have been dropping.
An article in the Rocky Mountain News on Dec. 3 reported that "budget forecasts show continued declines that could leave program recipients with $135.5 million in fiscal year 2011-12 -- a 20 percent drop before inflation is factored in."
At the same time, the Rocky piece continues, Colorado has "increased the number of free breast and cervical cancer screenings it offers" and added an "unknown number of children and expectant mothers" to state insurance rolls.
The fact is, Amendment 35 is a nifty piece of political theatrics that allowed a smug (and apparently none too bright) majority (non-smokers) to force an unpopular minority (smokers) pay not only for expanding state-funded health care, but also to pay for programs to help stop the same unpopular behavior that generates the money to expand health care in the first place.
And what we ended up with is a completely backward piece of public policy; an increase in state health care spending based on a declining stream of tax revenue.
Without a steady flow of new smokers, Amendment 35 is ultimately self-defeating.
Professional busybodies can always move on to other nanny-state targets such as white sugar, red meat and black-label scotch, but what about the children?
So thanks to the fuzzy logic, inherent contradictions and cruel irony of Amendment 35, cigarette smoking is now a civic virtue; and the tax-funded busy-bodies who want people to quit smoking are denying health care to poor children.
If you already smoke, good job and carry on. You are performing a valuable civic duty and deserve a gold-plated Zippo lighter embossed with the Colorado state seal.
This, of course, should come out of the busybodies' share of the tobacco tax. It's the least they can do.
If you are an ex-smoker, don't worry -- in a few short weeks you should be comfortably back in the saddle, just like the Marlboro Man.
The best part is you can do it guilt-free, as a majority of Colorado voters have given you the go ahead.
If you have never smoked, what the heck are you waiting for? Get started now and it shouldn't be long before you are up to a pack a day and doing your part for health care in Colorado.
And if any busybodies want to give you a hard time about lighting up, just remind them you are doing it for the children -- and it was their idea in the first place.
Mike Krause is a senior fellow at the Independence Institute in Golden.
This is the Hillary Clinton tax
to pay for unwed mothers and bastard childrens health care. The real concern hear is the lobby that supports Hillary and her socialistic ideals.
I hear not the people of this nation crying out for more taxes in any shape or form.
Once again the health care lobby wins, and another tax is imposed on the people.
The parents of these children are the immoral ones. They use these children as a dangled carrot to get free health care at their neighbors expense.
How about passing new laws to punish these unfit parents for child neglect.
I have two step daughters that play this welfare game. Free healthcare, rent subsidies, food stamps, free childcare (when (they) decide to work part time). My wife and I are amazed at the system, how it encourages
laziness and abuse, not to mention no personal responsibility. They will never get married as far as we can see so the funds just keep coming in.
The JCPA
lobbied especially hard for the SCHIP and the unfair taxes passed.
"Tyrants fear nothing more than insubordination"
"It's just one big club... and WE ain't in it!"
Here in Sweden it is really expensive
http://www.sweden.gov.se/sb/d/10983/a/111178
smokes are 50 sek/pack of which about 35 sek is tax..
/Mike
/Mike
Front Fell Off
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcU4t6zRAKg
RYO
I've been rolling my own for a few years now, and although it bugs me that they are increasing the tax I have to admit that it isn't all that bad. $24 per pound comes out to about $1.50 per ounce. I'm paying $2.16 for 3/4 ounce each week in New York State. So when the tax goes up, I'll be paying about $3.50 per week for my tobacco... Still not all that bad. I'm surprised they didn't raise the tax sooner. Of course, the down-side to this will be that the states will raise their taxes next.
For the amout I smoke, I save over $1,000 per year by rolling my own. I use TOP brand tobacco, TOP single size papers, and PREMIER brand filters (I don't use TOP filters as they are too short). I split the filters in half, and using one of the cheap $3.50 plastic hand rolling devices I roll my cigs half-wide (about .3 grams of tobacco) as I need them. I smoke about 7 - 15 cigs per day. I smoked about 15 per day when I bought "taylor-mades" by the pack (about $6 per pack, locally, and $9 in NYC), except that now I consume half the tobacco per cig than when I bought by the pack. And I don't find myself "needing" a smoke like I did previously... I will often go 5 hours or more without a cigarette (even if others around me are smoking), with no problem at all.
For those of you who use the same type roller that I use, I'll let you in on a little secret. When the plastic carrier sheet gets old and tears, DON'T buy another roller!! Instead, make your dollar go further... Take a dollar bill, cut it to the proper length, put it around the two roller bars, and join the ends with a piece of packing tape! I was getting about four months service from a roller. I started doing this in August of 2008, and my roller with its original dollar bill is still going strong (I think I may get a year or more out of it), so it looks like I may get $10 or better value from that dollar... What a deal!! As an added bonus, the dollar grips the rolling paper better than the original plastic sheet.
Sure, the higher tax sucks, but I'm just not all that concerned about it from a financial view, as I will still be saving a bundle over the cost of taylor-mades. From a personal perspective, I really dislike the "anti-smoking Nazis" because these hypocrites and their descriminatory actions are a threat to liberty.
trgtc
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Guard, protect and cherish your land, for there is no afterlife for a place that started out as Heaven - Charles M. Russell
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Guard, protect and cherish your land, for there is no afterlife for a place that started out as Heaven - Charles M. Russell
I love this post
(actually the entire thread) and I don't smoke! Good grief! This topic goes right to the heart of what is wrong with all levels of government.
Resist! If I smoked I would grow and roll my own. I am tempted to grow some tobacco next summer and see if anyone wants to try it. I sure as hell won't be collecting taxes!!
h-daddy
this is bullshit! I roll my
this is bullshit! I roll my own cigarettes because they are cheap, and they don't taste like chemicals! Tax from $1 to $24?? holy jesus. Can we stop this at all??
Think for yourself, question authority
That's
the thing. When the BEAST has spend up this new money, it will come back looking for more. What will be sacrificed next?
"Tyrants fear nothing more than insubordination"
"It's just one big club... and WE ain't in it!"
I mentioned to my
sister one time how high taxes on tobacco were and she replied, "Good, smoking is disgusting". Later I told her about New York putting taxes on Non-Diet Soft drinks, to this she replied, "That's stupid and unfair". I couldn't help but laugh at her. Its amazing how people are all for something that doesn't hurt them but by God don't put on a tax on something they use. I love that kind of logic.
My Blog
My Blog
Just Plain Deceptive and Wrong
*Bump
Jeeze
I'll be honest. I dislike smokers. They small bad and stink up otherwise clean places with long lasting odor. BUT! I respect everyone's right to do whatever the hell they want to themselves as long as it doesn't hurt my person or property.
One of the students on my floor of the dormroom was a big time smoker, and one day he decided to come into my room reeking of smoke. I made him leave within 3 minutes but the smell just lingered for 10 more minutes. Here in France it seems that 90% of people smoke, but fortunately they only smoke outside in the fresh winter mountain air, so it is hardly noticeable.
Anyway, this is a totally unfair tax that picks on a particular group of people. It's like putting a tax on someone for being black or for people who are left-handed...
I buy a brand called "Native" made by the Mohawk Indian nation
$16 a carton. I wonder if these cigs being made by native Americans will be taxed too.
"Reality is the leading cause of stress amongst those in touch with it."
--Jane Wagner
A Republic, If You Can Keep It
I buy bulk tobacco to clean my windows.
You dip it in water, rub it on your car windows , let it dry and wipe it off.
The cleanest windows you ever will see and they stay clean longer.
======================
It is far less painful to voluntarily adopt a fundamental attitude of humility than to have it thrust upon oneself as the painful consequence of ineptitude. - David R. Hawkins
Then
can you dry it out and smoke it?
that would be badass!
that would be badass! multi-purpose tobacco!
Think for yourself, question authority
please
please
I just started rolling my
I just started rolling my own and I have to admit its cheap as hell and it tastes a hell of alot better. I bought some premium tobacco for 27 dollars which I have been smoking on over two weeks now. I would imagine that 10 oz. will last me a month at least. So the price difference is big especially if I buy it online which will cost 20 bucks .... I am very sad to see this crap and it just proves to me that this government is out of control. I heard a pastor "non smoker" whom made a point that it was unfair what they did to smokers because they were singled out as a group and taxed unfairly. I thought that was strange until I started working offshore and picked up smoking now I know what he was talking about. The majority of the people don't care because it doesn't affect them but will take notice when they are unfairly taxed. I can't wait till fast food and sugar products get the next sin tax because then the majority will feel my pain. I spend so much time offshore and eat so little take out food it wouldn't affect me to much.
Marilyn in Lake Jackson From
Marilyn in Lake Jackson
From a non-smoker, I know that smokers will smoke, no matter what they have to pay, so I'm against more tax on tobacco, or higher prices for tobacco, because it's just a money making thing. But I'm also against people, and some have been in my own family, who will find a way to buy cigarettes, even though they are out of work and can't feed their kids anything more than biscuits and gravy, can't decently clothe them or put braces on their teeth. And getting off the cigarettes is out of the question. I know it's hard, but it can and has been done. I have no patience with smokers who, because of their addiction, cause their families to go without the necessities of life. Sorry.
MarilynInLakeJackson
quiltingsando
in response to your comment below. This is exactly what I planned on doing. I smoke on and off for the last 20 years. I'm tired of paying $5 a pack. Before this tax increase you can buy ryo tobacco for about $15 a pound. From what I understand, this will yield about 2 cartons of cigs (400 cigarettes). Tubes with filters are cheap (about $2 - $3 a carton). The rolling machines range from $25 -45. All in all, after the initial investment you can make a carton for about $10. Compared to $30-$50 in the store. Look on youtube for videos to see how easy it is to use.
I've been rolling my own
I've been rolling my own four yrs. now. I buy enough to make at least two cartons depending on how you pack them, including tubes for little under $20 including sales tax. Last I looked the price of one carton premium is around $45-50?
http://www.campaignforliberty.com/user/BeaReady/
http://www.ohiofreedom.com/subd/
Trust in God, but tie your camel tight.
"Socialism needs two legs on which to stand; a right and a left. While appearing to be in complete opposition to one another,they both march in the same direction." - Paul Proctor
I smoked only a few days in my life
when I was 17.............
but I want to defend the freedom to smoke and not suffer the Big Brother crap .........notice patriots that Nazi Germany had similar anti-smoking laws as we have today.
http://www.votenader.org/blog/2008/09/10/statement-to-ron-pa...
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"How can we justify to the unemployed and underemployed in the United States the incredible cost of maintaining a global empire?" - Dr. Ron Paul
I work for Big Tobacco...
And we knew this was coming. The taxes and regulations on tobacco will get to the point where you won't even be able to see a pack of cigarettes in a store. It will be treated like porn...behind the counter, behind a wall, no signs anywhere. We are already preparing for the increase in regulation. We are making plans to change our business model due to these regulations and tax increases. Hopefully, my company won't go under and I won't lose my job.
www.ilovegenerationx.com
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Don't worry...
after hyper-inflation hits, $24.00 will be a bargain.
(this is beyond unfair... I don't smoke, but I think we should all still band together to fight this sort of fascist legislation.)
One question: after this bill is passed, will it be cheaper to smoke packaged cigarettes relative to pre-packaged tobacco? (do the cigarette companies still win?)
AT least IT is NOT illegal to grow your own tobacco...
And you won't have the DEA bust down your door and imprisoning you for growing a plant.
Honestly, given the criteria for being listed as a Scheduled Drug, and since the government wrongly defines a natural plant as a "drug",
Then Tobacco should be listed as Schedule 1 drug. Be made illegal, it has no accepted medical use, it is highly dangerous, addictive, and harmful to society.
I don't feel too sorry for Tobacco smokers. They still have a right to grow their own. Cancer patients, and sick people don't have the right in most places to grow a plant that will help them and inhibit cancer growth and help ease their suffering.
=========================================
It is far less painful to voluntarily adopt a fundamental attitude of humility than to have it thrust upon oneself as the painful consequence of ineptitude. - David R. Hawkins
You sure about that?
I am pretty sure you are not allowed to grow it unless you are a contracted grower for one of the tobacco companies, although now you have me thinking... what I tried to do was buy it raw, or buy seeds, and "no where no how no way" was what I was told by the local growers.
Truth exists, and it deserves to be cherished.
No I'm not...
You got me thinking. We need to start a tobacoo seed depository...
Because I was joshing about Tobacoo not having any medical use. IT is great stuff to stop bleeding and other things and . it is the best window cleaner you will ever use.
If you can't even grow Tobacco then I'm pissed. It is completely immoral and arrogant to prohibit the growth of any creations plants for individual use. The first thing the bible says G-d gave man was the green plants.
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It is far less painful to voluntarily adopt a fundamental attitude of humility than to have it thrust upon oneself as the painful consequence of ineptitude. - David R. Hawkins
I read about this in the
I read about this in the newspaper the other day. I'm a non-smoker, have never smoked in my life, but many in my family do. I believe this is terribly unfair, an unfair and unjust tax burden on specific people. It's not right.
Smokers ought to begin considering growing their own tobacco and using pipes to smoke it. Take control out of the government's hands.
...
It's not about the Children
The fact is that liberals never saw a tax increase they didn't like.
They are just using children as an excuse.
That's ok though. They got their butts whipped soundly during alcohol prohibition and it will happen again.
I'm a pipe smoker and I absolutely KNEW they would pass this bill as soon as the clueless dipshi... uh, I mean ObombA took over.
It's so unfair to single out ONE segment of the population that has absolutely NOTHING to do with those children and make them pay for their health insurance.
It's a scam.
"Tyrants fear nothing more than insubordination"
"It's just one big club... and WE ain't in it!"