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Would a 75-cent increase in the cigarette tax alter your smoking habits?
Asked at Massachusetts Street on September 18, 2008
“It might decrease my smoking, but not by much. I would just try to conserve them more, but it wouldn’t be a huge difference.”
“It probably wouldn’t motivate me to smoke any less. If you’re a smoker, you’re a smoker.”
“I would consider buying my cigarettes in another state.”
“Absolutely not. If people are going to smoke, they’re going to smoke. An increase in sin tax will only deter the smallest percentage of people from smoking.”
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Comments
cds 4 years, 8 months ago
Buggie7 (Anonymous) says: I know alot of people who go to the Indian reservations to buy cartons at a time because they do not pay the tax there and the cigs are cheaper so no wont deter my smoking at all. It s cheaper to take a day spend the time and gas to go up by the casino North of Topeka and buy about 10 cartons at a time and a few months later do the same thing so they can stick their taxes.____Exactly why it isn't going to bother me any. I can drive to Mayetta, buy 5-10 cartons of cigs and still pay less, including fuel, than what the suckers that don't go there pay for a 1/4 of the amount of cigs.
PapaB 4 years, 8 months ago
jplanet - do you realize that a typical smoker is going to save well over $1000 over 3 years if they just quit smoking. I worked it out with a friend of mine and we figured about $3000/yr is what his family would save if he and his wife quit. Pay yourself a nice raise and quit.
Dejacrew423 4 years, 8 months ago
Didn't we just have a question about the sin tax a few days ago?
bombshell 4 years, 8 months ago
I doubt it will deter smokers that much - except make a bit of a gripe - but when a smoker wants a pack and it isn't "time efficient" to go to the gas station 'cuz they're already on Mass, they'll still pay $5 for a pack at places like Henrys ... so I doubt it will really deter anyone. Do you really think they increase sin taxes because they think its going to deter people from smoking because it's unhealthy? Probably not. They use the increased tax dollars for government projects just like every other tax. They don't bank on not getting that money because they think all of a sudden everybody just quits over a 75cent hike in price.
slang4d 4 years, 8 months ago
"What if the price goes up so high that the smokers are forced into criminal activity to support their habit?"Cigarette smokers aren't evil mastermind criminals, they are regular folks. Please tell me this is a joke. "The question is, would you vote for a smoker as president?"Uh, well, I am a smoker so this perception of smokers as bad people is a little disturbing to me. It's not like heroin or alcohol, it does not distort or destroy one's personality. Price has never been a quitting factor for me-it's gross, it smells bad and it's annoying to have to stop whatever you're doing to go outside and feed an addiction. Those latter things will have me quitting eventually, that is if I can figure out how to do it without cramming a ton of food in my mouth to stop the cravings.
RETICENT_IRREVERENT 4 years, 8 months ago
At 75 cents a pack...?Smokeys better watch out cause the Bandit may just come out to pay.Now just got to find me a "Snowman".Dang, they could make a movie about this... cool.
merrill 4 years, 8 months ago
Another 75 cents will not encourage me to break my NOT smoking habit.
Easy_Does_It 4 years, 8 months ago
I think Cody is saying "They can have my cigs when they take them from my cold dead hands!".
yellowhouse 4 years, 8 months ago
What if the price goes up so high that the smokers are forced into criminal activity to support their habit?Are we a society so naive we don't see the correlation between cigarettes, alcohol and illegal drugs? What makes someone an addict?Our law makers are nothing more than the Pots calling the kettles black here.I
Pleiku 4 years, 8 months ago
I suppose the problem I have with sin taxes is I have never been able to believe in the Catch-22 of the tax itself. Is the purpose of the tax to have people quit? Is the purpose of the tax to increase the tax coffers of the state? What if the first happens and people quit? I've never experienced a taxing agency ever able to live without the monies they once made. So would some other vice be taxed next simply to fill the whole in the tax revenue all the reformed smokers caused? Watch out non-smokers one of your vices might be next. Heck, it might be coming anyway. The animal must be continually fed.
sgtwolverine 4 years, 8 months ago
No, but a 75-percent decrease in the general unpleasantness of cigarettes might.
jumpin_catfish 4 years, 8 months ago
Would more dumb questions from LJW's change my reading habits? Apparently not! And Cody you look like a fool and you ain't cool and your bad habit will catch up to you.
hitme 4 years, 8 months ago
No, even if they cost more, I wouldn't start, but thanks for asking.
kidicarus 4 years, 8 months ago
I agree with Tom. One of the best OTS pictures ever.
tonythetiger 4 years, 8 months ago
Not one bit. I would still tell people it is an unhealthy habit.
sunflower_sue 4 years, 8 months ago
No. I'd still send my cuts of meat to a friend whenever he has his smoker going. Just don't see what cig tax has to do with it.
jonas_opines 4 years, 8 months ago
I might continue out of spite, I suppose, but not likely. When I manage to successfully quit, once and for all, I assure you that other issues will ultimately take precedence over the cost. Such as, you know, not feeling like I'm doing Taekwondo in a corset with a 50 pound weight strapped to my shoulders. That's gonna be nice./never worn a corset, so I guess I don't really know. . . . They look painful.
Buggie7 4 years, 8 months ago
I know alot of people who go to the Indian reservations to buy cartons at a time because they do not pay the tax there and the cigs are cheaper so no wont deter my smoking at all. It s cheaper to take a day spend the time and gas to go up by the casino North of Topeka and buy about 10 cartons at a time and a few months later do the same thing so they can stick their taxes.
jplanet 4 years, 8 months ago
I think they should put this extra tax money into a fund to help smokers quit. As a smoker myself, I know if someone paid me to quit I sure as heck would! (I should anyway, but the motivation would really be there with a cash bonus) They could pay $1000 per participant as long as they stayed "clean" for say 3 years. The participants would get tested monthly to make sure they're on track. If they fail a test the money has to be paid back.
Clickker 4 years, 8 months ago
"That's how I do it for my wife and the trip to Red-X about 3-4 times a year and the savings always pays for a nice haul of groceries and booze too!"Savings???lmao!You should be in government! Since when is spending a little bit less on something totally unneccessary and damaging considered savings?
Napoleon_Dynomite 4 years, 8 months ago
This comment was removed by the site staff for violation of the usage agreement.
snap_pop_no_crackle 4 years, 8 months ago
"The question is, would you vote for a smoker as president?"http://mediamatters.org/items/200701180010
nobody1793 4 years, 8 months ago
"Didn't we just have a question about the sin tax a few days ago?"It's part of thier recycling program, along with recycling stories about KU salaries. I think they get "green bucks" in return.
trinity 4 years, 8 months ago
since you've never worn a corset jonas, take my advice-don't start now. ;)s_s your answer was da bomb, lmao! :) i guess i can say yes, a 75 cent increase would alter my smoking habits...i'll have to set aside the time to run over to missouri or to the reservations to buy 'em. me&that cody kid=sympatico.
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