Cigarette Tax
March 30th, 2009
As a onetime smoker, and an avid drunk smoker, I’m appalled by the new cigarette tax. The new tax, set to take effect on Wednesday, will increase the tax on a pack of cigarettes from 39 cents to $1.01! One can assume that the government is attempting to make cigarettes so unaffordable that people will be forced to quit. If this happens to booze I’m moving to Canada. According to my brief and most likely inadequate research, about 250,000 people die from heart attacks every year. Why don’t we tax the crap out of McDonalds? Because McDonalds is delicious that’s why. The point is, I am outraged, you are outraged, and UCLA is outraged. This country was built on tobacco and I’ll be damned if they’re going to take that away. If Octo-Mom is allowed to have 14 kids on welfare, then why can’t I smoke a pack a day for thirty years and eventually go on Medicaid? Where’s the liberty? Where’s the justice? Where my friends is America?
The High Life with Fast Eddie
Friday 2-4
Posted by ethiele
6 Comments »
March 31st, 2009 at 11:23 am
I have to agree that the new tax is bullshit. I enjoy the occasional smoke… but it is usually bummed off of someone else. Therefore I never really buy my own packs of cigarettes. Even when I did buy my first (and last) pack… which happened to be a few weeks ago… I was stunned at how expensive cigarettes already are. Fucking like… 5 bucks for a pack.
Yes McDonalds can promote heart disease. The difference between fast food and cigarettes is that someone eating cheeseburgers does not make those around him fat as well. I hate secondhand smoke with a passion. Especially here in LA, people are completely oblivious while smoking that people nearby don’t want to breathe the shit. Perhaps a greater degree of responsibilty is required in order to curb the increased cigarette tax… becasue thats what the entire thing is about anyway. Eliminate secondhand smoke in a way that does not outlaw smoking in public… and you have solved the problem.
March 31st, 2009 at 1:47 pm
Funny.
This country was also built on taxes.
And slaves.
March 31st, 2009 at 6:17 pm
This tax is giving me an anxiety attack and makes me need a cigarette.
March 31st, 2009 at 9:22 pm
You make a good point about second hand smoke. Since I quit I hate it as much as the next person. Especially when someone blows smoke on me and I get accused of smoking again. Still, it is our right and by trying to tax the right away from us is some buuuullll. Smoke up my friends, life is short.
Haha, good point DJ Octoon. I feel the same way Kelsey.
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:45 am
I agree that this new tax is bullshit, it’s just another form of America saying fuck you to smokers. And with this economy being shit like it is, I need every dollar I have. Plus, I was looking online and found a couple pictures of freggin’ Obama himself smoking, how could he let this happen to his fellow nicotine craving brethen.
And then, there’s the tobacco companies, how can they expect to make money when I’m sure people , like myself included, are going to either quit or cut back due to this once again increase in price. I mean, seriously.
April 5th, 2009 at 12:46 pm
The price of my Black & Mild, Mild Cigars went from $3 per pack to almost $5. There are only 5 slim cigars in a pack…
I hope Obama and all the poor little (illegal) children on free medical FAIL! Thats right.. I said FAIL. Where in the Constitution does it state “Thou shall provide free doctors and welfare for everyone that sets foot on American soil.” ?
This year I will be growing tobacco with the rest of my vegetable garden.