I usually devote my columns and blogs to important matters like constitutional law, fiscal and monetary policy, foreign policy and world geopolitics.
However, I’ve become more irate over a populist cause as of late: the excessive taxes on cigarette smokers.
Full disclosure, as unfortunate as it may be, I myself, am a smoker – although, I have assured myself I am quitting soon.
Cigarettes, to much chagrin to the health extremists, are legal in this country. And, as much as they detest the fact, as it stands now it is no different than alcohol, a firearm, lottery tickets, military service, voting rights or jury duty.
The American Medical Association and the National Cancer Institutes’s findings state that cigarettes contain cancer causing agents. And, if I were on the government’s – taxpayers – insurance plan, what I ingested would be of legitimate concern to the very people footing the bill.
However, I am on a private plan. I pay completely, without any government assistance.
That being the case, why am I a subject to the government’s subjective confiscatory tax?
A pack of the particular brand I smoke has increased from slightly more than $3.00 to more than $6.00 in a little over a three week span.
Has the cost of tobacco gone up, or more succinctly – yet still not the prime cause – has the government’s inflationary policies caught up with us?
The latter is more than assuredly coming, however, subjective taxes for out-of-favor industries are the rule of the day.
Read no further than the March 23 Wall Street Journal’s news and OP/ED pages – All bankers who work for a corporation that received more than $5 billion in Troubled Asset Relief Program capital and that make more than $250,000 annually can expect a 90 percent tax burden on their bonuses next year.
Government led mob rule.
Before the recent tax hike, more than 80 percent of the cost of cigarettes were tax. Why should we as a segment of the population be subjected to this type of a tax? Now account for the almost $3 increase.
More to the point, imagine if the government decided to tax other products, services or income in the manner they now tax tobacco?
Imagine paying a 150 percent tax on Bibles, firearms, alcohol, building permits, driving licenses, et al.
When did American citizens’ right to liberty and freedom end at the pursuit of placation and appeasement for those either expecting federal money or advocating confiscatory taxes on a segment of the population they disagree with?
User • Apr 1, 2009 at 10:45 pm
First, everything is taxed. Drivers licenses are 100% tax. Second, whether I read a bible or buy beer doesn’t impact your health. You sucking on cancer sticks brings harm to everyone around you, not to mention how bad smokers smell and then poor people are stuck sitting next to them for a full class.
Prepare yourself – UNF will be a smoke-free campus as so many are around this country. Do what you want, as long as it doesn’t shorten my life – you have no right. I’m tired of driving and having to roll up my windows cause some idiot 5 cars ahead of me is smoking. We’ve been told since before we were born smoking was bad for us, there’s no excuse.
Jonathan Morales • Mar 28, 2009 at 1:34 pm
Ciggs are a taxable commodity whose sales mean profit and wealth for the health care industry and an object of grievance for other interest groups. The health care costs that are tied to smoker’s ailments are a hidden source of recurring revenue; stamp it, tax it, hate-it-or-like-it, ciggs are also a dangerous vice that slowly kills us every time we light up. Its just something else to add to the list of things minors can go out and finally do when they turn 18–the magical age when, at least in our society, we are all “grown up” and mature. Of course we all know, at 18, most of us dont know how to gamble, smoke or even vote responsibly.