Tobacco tax rise for US smokers

[Liebling:-)))]

Tobacco tax rise for US smokers

The largest-ever single increase in US federal taxes on cigarettes has taken effect, almost tripling the tax on a packet to more than $1.

The Obama administration plans to use the money to pay for health care for uninsured children.

Health campaigners say raising taxes on cigarettes in the middle of a recession is a good way to get more people to stop smoking.

A 20-a-day smoker will have to pay an additional $225 (£156) a year.

Similar tax increases went into effect for cigars, pipe tobacco and chewing tobacco.

Help to quit

Paola Munoz is exactly the type of person they are hoping to reach, the BBC's Stuart Cohen reports from Washington.

She has been smoking for more than three years but her New Year's resolution this year was to quit.

She says she has already cut down from one pack a day and the new tax will help her give up the habit altogether.

"I buy a pack every three days," she says.

"With the tax it is going to be around $6 and some change. And I don't want to pay that… so I'd rather just quit, and this is a great excuse to go cold turkey and quit completely."

The cigarette companies have not been standing idly by.

They raised prices on cigarettes a few weeks ago to start making up for the money they expect to lose in sales.

The tax increase is just the first step in a newly energised anti-smoking campaign in the now Democrat-controlled Congress.

They are considering a law that would allow the Food and Drug Administration to regulate tobacco - something the industry has successfully fought for years.

BBC NEWS | Americas | Tobacco tax rise for US smokers







What do you think of this?

 

[Brian]

Instead of raising taxes, Obama could have thought of making the quitting programs made available for free of charge to its Americans.

With the ridiculous tax hikes, it is not going to do much to stop people from buying cigarettes and other tobacco products.

 

[shel90]

Instead of raising taxes, Obama could have thought of making the quitting programs made available for free of charge to its Americans.

With the ridiculous tax hikes, it is not going to do much to stop people from buying cigarettes and other tobacco products.

It worked for my hubby...since the tax hike, he hasnt bought cigarettes and has stopped smoking since then. *crossing my fingers* that he will forget about them altogether.

 

[Bottesini]

Iowa had huge raises on cigarette tax and banned smoking in public places and it has cut down smoking quite a bit.

 

[Frisky Feline]

Poor my mama! It is the only way for raising $ on something elese better. I hope they don't put $$$ into pregnancy planned whoever have no insurance. For children's needs which i can understand but pregnancy? no.

 

[Reba]

"..The Obama administration plans to use the money to pay for health care for uninsured children...."

Suppose the higher tax does succeed in bringing down the number of smokers in the USA? If there are fewer smokers, then less tax for Obama's health care plan will be collected, and fewer uninsured children will be served.

The only way the children will benefit is if more people smoke more cigarettes.

That doesn't make sense.

 

[flip]

"..The Obama administration plans to use the money to pay for health care for uninsured children...."

Suppose the higher tax does succeed in bringing down the number of smokers in the USA? If there are fewer smokers, then less tax for Obama's health care plan will be collected, and fewer uninsured children will be served.

The only way the children will benefit is if more people smoke more cigarettes.

That doesn't make sense.

I don't see that Obama says this is a income they want to expand or make sure stay huge. If I understand Obama right, he want to decrease the use of tobacco with taxes, and instead of using this hopefully increasing income to support the tobacco industry for example, he use it to pay health care.

I think it's a good idea, but of course other people perhaps have a better solution.

 

[flip]

If this trend toward banning use of tobacco continues, wonder when the first legalize tobacco march show up, and if they will be able to coperate with the legalize marijuana movement

 

[Reba]

I don't see that Obama says this is a income they want to expand or make sure stay huge. If I understand Obama right, he want to decrease the use of tobacco with taxes, and instead of using this hopefully increasing income to support the tobacco industry for example, he use it to pay health care.

I think it's a good idea, but of course other people perhaps have a better solution.

If Obama's tax decreases the use of tobacco, that will also decrease money for the uninsured children.

 

[flip]

If Obama's tax decreases the use of tobacco, that will also decrease money for the uninsured children.

Obama said he will use income from tobacco taxes to pay healt care, but no one said that children will get less money if income from tobacco taxes are lowered. See the difference?

 

[diehardbiker]

Sure I can see its advantages, the less people smoke, the less we pay for health care bills with these that causes cancers, so therefore it WILL work,

There is hidden cost of smoker which mainly is HEALTH CARE COST! Once smoker gets hit with cancers, and other illness that is directly caused by tobacco, it COSTS money! the less people smoke, the less there will be tobacco related illness and cancer, resulting less spending on health care.

Most people do not realize how expensive health care for these smokers are!

I personally HAIL that idea!

Obama said he will use income from tobacco taxes to pay healt care, but no one said that children will get less money if income from tobacco taxes are lowered. See the difference?

 

[Babyface]

obamas raising taxes on everything dont kid yourself

 

[BradB08]

Instead of raising taxes, Obama could have thought of making the quitting programs made available for free of charge to its Americans.

With the ridiculous tax hikes, it is not going to do much to stop people from buying cigarettes and other tobacco products.

Actually, it'll only encourage people to roll their own and buy cigarettes as cheaply as they can.

I would suggest quitting as it's an useless habit that has no benefits (much like drinking excessively).

 

[BradB08]

obamas raising taxes on everything dont kid yourself

Bush wasn't a fiscal conservative either.

 

[flip]

Sure I can see its advantages, the less people smoke, the less we pay for health care bills with these that causes cancers, so therefore it WILL work,

There is hidden cost of smoker which mainly is HEALTH CARE COST! Once smoker gets hit with cancers, and other illness that is directly caused by tobacco, it COSTS money! the less people smoke, the less there will be tobacco related illness and cancer, resulting less spending on health care.

Most people do not realize how expensive health care for these smokers are!

I personally HAIL that idea!

That's where the real moneysaver is with high taxes for smoking tobacco. Add free access to gyms, and healt care costs will decrease insanely.

Another solution is if the amount of money the goverment use on smoking related issues, like illness treatment, loss of income due to smoking during worktime, programs to quit etc, was included in the price when buying cigarettes. This extra addition to the price, would go directly to the goverment to cover smoking related expenses. This way, we would get a clear picture of how much it really cost to smoke.

 

[Foxrac]

Bush wasn't a fiscal conservative either.

That's right, Bush spent too much, that what I know and he isn't describe as true republican.

Fiscal conservative would be probably Reagan or Nixon.

 

[Babyface]

Bush wasn't a fiscal conservative either.

so obama should be the same as bush? I didnt see bush raising taxes on slat and food or taking over car companies etc

bush spent money yeah but obamas spending is outragous the deficit has quadroupled since hes been in office

 

[Reba]

Obama said he will use income from tobacco taxes to pay healt care, but no one said that children will get less money if income from tobacco taxes are lowered. See the difference?

Do the math.

If people quit buying tobacco products there will be no tax money for the children's insurance.

 

[Liebling:-)))]

I support Tobacco tax rise because it helps mosts to reduce their smoking habit.

My hubby was one of them. Thanks tabacoo tax rise, he quit smoking in April 2004.

 

[Reba]

I'm curious.

If money is a factor in whether or not one smokes, why are so many poor people smokers?

Also, will a high tax on tobacco cause upper income people to stop smoking? Or will they feel somewhat justified in smoking because they can say, "well, at least I'm helping pay for kids' health insurance"?

I've never been a smoker, so .