$1 Tax on Cigarettes Proposed, Medical Marijuana on Table

New York State's tax on cigarettes could soar to a national high of $3.75 per pack, under one proposal being considered by the Assembly. The $1-per-pack increase in the state's cigarette tax is likely to be included in the budget resolution Democrats plan to unveil soon; one lawmaker tells the Daily News, "It's the least bad choice among all the revenues." The added tax could generate more than $200 million in revenue, which would help restore about $600 million of the $1.1 billion in school aid cuts that Governor Paterson proposed. And speaking of the budget, the Senate included a resolution in their bill legalizing medical marijuana. But Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver says they don't "look at [medical marijuana] as revenue-raiser."

In other smoking ghettoization news, yesterday a judge upheld a ban in NYC on sales of flavored tobacco products. A coalition of smokeless tobacco companies had challenged the ban in court, arguing that "the FDA is the only agency with the right combination of scientific expertise, regulatory experience and public-health mission to oversee these [tobacco] products effectively." But according to the AP, Judge Colleen McMahon ruled that the law signed last fall "doesn't interfere with the FDA's recent ban on cigarettes made to taste like candy, fruit and cloves," because "the city's law restricts only the sale of tobacco products other than cigarettes in NYC," such as chewing tobacco.

A Health Department study [pdf] found that teen use of cigars and cigarillos has almost tripled in recent years. Officials are currently urging New Yorkers to quit as part of their annual Nicotine Patch and Gum Giveaway Program. The program ends tomorrow at midnight. Since 2003, the Health Department has distributed nicotine patches and gum to more than 200,000 NYC smokers during annual giveaways, enabling an estimated 70,000 to quit. Last year, some 28,000 smokers accepted the offer, according to the Health Department.

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By John Del Signore in News on March 24, 2010 5:45 PM

Comments [rss]

imperialnetwork

Um...tobacco companies are forced to provide money for anti-smoking campaigns, per the massive settlement with the states in teh 90s. Of course, unsurprisingly, the tobacco companies' ads don't work:

http://www.social-marketing.com/blog/2006/11/insiders-view-of-philip-morris-anti.html

Boogie Down

I love how politicians et al. seem to have zero concern for the negative cardio-pulmonary effects created by bullshit vehicles like SUVs. Most morons who drive these beasts don't even know what the fuck four wheel drive actually means. These vehicles are so completely unnecessary for people who spend their entire lives driving on paved roads and their purchase should be taxed to the hilt.

fishfryin

how can they estimate that further taxes on cigarettes will generate revenue? at the proposed point you'd have to be either retarded or shitfaced drunk to actually buy a pack in a store. honestly, a plane ticket to central or northern south america and a maximum duty free purchase of cigarettes would be cheaper.

PTG in nyc

I smoke very infrequently, is what it is, but why the F can't politicians can't stand up to the beverage companies and tax soda a meager $.10? Before cigarettes were blamed for 100% of our woes, fat asses who also drank too much of it were at least able to shed a few pounds by smoking, but now Coca Cola is free to do even more harm to the body b/c cigarettes are unattainable for most.

Despite all the shady tactics the tobacco companies have been responsible for, I'm actually starting to feel bad for them. Are they the only giant corporations not allowed to buy off politicians? One day we'll admire them for being the only assholes not responsible for ruining our political system.

laisla

If Big Tobacco could not buy off politicians, we would not have Big Tobacco. HTH

jenspellnogood

the original justification for high cigarette taxes was to pay for the burdensome health costs to treat smokers; now it's just to fill budget gaps. Almost as much bullshit as the health care bill passed over the weekend - these politicians have no clue how to manage money but they're deft at lying about it to no end.

Politburo

The original federal cigarette taxes were to pay for wars. It's always been about the budget.

laisla

So you think cigarettes have no public health impact? Or any impact on the already non-working, crumbling health care infrastructure?

juliec

Someday, when a pack of cigarettes is $40, a pack of spliffs will be $15 and people will buy them just for the tobacco.

(in my dreams)

etypical

Why hasn't there been a tax (or a tax hike) on alcohol in ages? What's the obsession with taxing smokers? Is there no other deviant act to tax? No porn or hookers out there? No booze? No HumVee or other giant useless SVU? NYC should at least try to be creative.

Yawn.

nicemarmot

Or http://www.drugs.com/mtm/marinol.html

Mordicai

Only a buck? Damn.

I think marijuana should have identical tax & legality profiles. Heavily taxed, smoked at home or in special locations but not on the streets or public spaces.

moonbeam

If ill people need medical marijuana, why can't they put the active ingredient in capsule form and offer them as a legitimate medication? That would eliminate the concerns about second hand smoke, smoking in public, smoking around children, etc.

nicemarmot

They have done that, but unfortunately isolating just one compound of marijuana, like THC, and making it into a pill causes it to be less effective (see http://www.drugs.com/mtm/marinol.html). Speaking as a medical user, marinol made me very sleepy as well as being less effective. There are a lot of different cannibanoids in a pot plant and they don't really understand how they affect your body differently and in concert.

That being said, you can ingest mj in lots of ways other than smoking it. Vaporizing, baking it in food, drinking it in tea, distilling it into beer or liquor...