Thank You for Smoking

[whoops1995]

No, this isn't about the novel.(which if you havn't read, you should definitly check it out.) This thread is about the increasing price of cigarettes. I'm not sure about other places, but where I live, I've noticed how incredibly expensive cigarettes have gotten. It's about 6 dollars for a pack. Why is it so high? Is it to discourage smoking? or is it because the state knows that people can't stop smoking and are trying to squeeze as much money as possible out of them? Is it right? On one hand your over charging people who can't help the fact that they're addicted, but on the other hand, in theory this should be helping smokers quit and help themselves, while helping the community and bringing more money to the town. I personally say it's not right. I've never smoked and probably will never, but from what i've seen, it looks incredibly addicting. In my eyes it's like taking candy from a baby.

 

[Locobato]

Where do you live? I live in Texas and at the beginning of 2008 the federal government raised taxes by a dollar. But the cigarette companies have tried to compensate by offering more bargains and special prices.

 

[sirdanrhodes]

Non-Smoker, hence, I don't give a shit!

OK, that's unfair, I think that they are trying to stop you killing yourselves.

 

[Xpwn3ntial]

No, this isn't about the novel.(which if you havn't read, you should definitly check it out.) This thread is about the increasing price of cigarettes. I'm not sure about other places, but where I live, I've noticed how incredibly expensive cigarettes have gotten. It's about 6 dollars for a pack. Why is it so high? Is it to discourage smoking? or is it because the state knows that people can't stop smoking and are trying to squeeze as much money as possible out of them? Is it right? On one hand your over charging people who can't help the fact that they're addicted, but on the other hand, in theory this should be helping smokers quit and help themselves, while helping the community and bringing more money to the town. I personally say it's not right. I've never smoked and probably will never, but from what i've seen, it looks incredibly addicting. In my eyes it's like taking candy from a baby.

Part of it is tax increases. If people don't smoke, that means higher taxes for everything else. My psychology teacher had a philosophy: "Don't smoke, but if you do, smoke a lot. I don't wanna pay outrageous taxes." I'm pretty sure that the credit crunch is making the tobacco overlords lose five thousand dollars a day from their income so they have to either raise the cost of smokes or start making business deals out of the money their beds are made of.

 

[Ursus Astrorum]

I don't smoke, and my outlook on the whole ordeal is completely neutral. If the folks want to contract lung disease and cancer, let them. People need to quit making such a fuss about it and move on with their lives.

 

[Aura Guardian]

Hmm...this topic is like those gay-ass truth commercials. They make me WANT to start smoking.

 

[letsnoobtehpwns]

the colonies went to war and broke up with england because of taxes exactly like this. LET US SMOKERS SMOKE!

 

[ellimist337]

Because it's addictive, they know the majority of business is guaranteed (or close to it) repeat business, they can charge a lot, because those addicted will buy no matter what. Also, price varies incredibly based on where you were. I used to work at a gas station in the midwest and a pack of Marlboros was a little over $4. People would come up from the Tennessee area, for example, and complain because a pack was only $2 where they live. On the other hand, we once had visitors from Canada who almost shit themselves because it was so cheap- they were used to $11 a pack or more.

 

[chronobreak]

I don't think we should derail this thread into smoking vs. anti-smoking, but the fact of the matter is prices for everything are going up all around us. Tolls, groceries, cigarettes. It sucks, but, we gotta feed the government machine if we want to win anything back from it. Right now is not a good time to be a smoker. If you're really concerned about it, do what I do, and either roll your own or order smokes online.

 

[whoops1995]

new jersey

Where do you live? I live in Texas and at the beginning of 2008 the federal government raised taxes by a dollar. But the cigarette companies have tried to compensate by offering more bargains and special prices.

new jersey

 

[The Kind Cannibal]

They're only a 540 colones a pack here, thats about $1 if I'm correct.

 

[MsDevin92]

Hopefully a price increase will stop my dad smoking- money's tight now- although I'm a little worried that this isn't the best time for his mood to undergo a withdrawal...

But I've been getting freaked out by smoking health risks since forever, so I really hope he lets the habit bite the dust.

 

[joystickjunki3]

the colonies went to war and broke up with england because of taxes exactly like this. LET US SMOKERS SMOKE!

Agreed.

But I I'd like to say that while i believe that if taxes are to be raised so that smokers can pay for the butts to picked up afterwards, then taxes should actually go toward that. I've noticed that even though politicians may say that taxes will help clean the streets, nothing has really been done about it. I smoke, and I know the consequences, and i also believe that owners of establishments should be able to choose if their restaurants/bars/hotels are smoke-free or not, and I'm sick of this discrimination against people who choose to smoke. I thought that western societies said they were for free will. It's bullshit, for the most part.

 

[Ancalagon]

I agree that the constant small price rises here in the UK are pointless. Cigarettes, like all addictive products, have a low elasticity of demand, meaning that a change in price has a relatively small effect on the demand for a product. Regular small increases in the price of a pack of cigarettes don't make people give up: they do, however, make more money for the government. Smokers complain about it, but they keep smoking.

If the government was serious about reducing the proportion of people smoking, they would make occasional large increases to tobacco tax. If you increase the price of a pack of cigarettes from five pounds to six pounds fifty, then many people would quit. Put up the price of rolling tobacco in the same way; many people move on to it when straight cigarettes become too expensive. Increase fines for selling smuggled tobacco, as more and more people are buying their tobacco from "some guy down the pub".

Either get serious about controlling tobacco use through tax, or leave people to get on with their habit. But they won't do either, since doing the former would be hugely unpopular with smokers, who still make part a large proportion of the electorate. The latter would remove a revenue stream for the government: one where they can constantly increase taxes without public outcry.

And that is how I spent my last minutes of 2008.

And apologies to the Escapist grammar police for starting my last two sentences with a conjunction.

 

[new_age_reject]

I think increasing the price is the most likely way of getting people to stop. I know my own mother will be able to smoke less and less if the prices increase and overall this is a good thing, whilst people still pay the high prices, its more money for the government and for the ones that quite, a long healthier life for them, less strain on the NHS and a lot less mess for the streets.

 

[new_age_reject]

the colonies went to war and broke up with england because of taxes exactly like this. LET US SMOKERS SMOKE!

Agreed.

But I I'd like to say that while i believe that if taxes are to be raised so that smokers can pay for the butts to picked up afterwards, then taxes should actually go toward that. I've noticed that even though politicians may say that taxes will help clean the streets, nothing has really been done about it. I smoke, and I know the consequences, and i also believe that owners of establishments should be able to choose if their restaurants/bars/hotels are smoke-free or not, and I'm sick of this discrimination against people who choose to smoke. I thought that western societies said they were for free will. It's bullshit, for the most part.

There is discrimination towards people who smoke because it has a deep impact on society. It smells, it puts strain on the NHS (England of course) and it affects the health of people that don't smoke.
I agree however that establishments should be able to choose whether or not to be smoke free or not.

 

[joystickjunki3]

the colonies went to war and broke up with england because of taxes exactly like this. LET US SMOKERS SMOKE!

Agreed.

But I I'd like to say that while i believe that if taxes are to be raised so that smokers can pay for the butts to picked up afterwards, then taxes should actually go toward that. I've noticed that even though politicians may say that taxes will help clean the streets, nothing has really been done about it. I smoke, and I know the consequences, and i also believe that owners of establishments should be able to choose if their restaurants/bars/hotels are smoke-free or not, and I'm sick of this discrimination against people who choose to smoke. I thought that western societies said they were for free will. It's bullshit, for the most part.

There is discrimination towards people who smoke because it has a deep impact on society. It smells, it puts strain on the NHS (England of course) and it affects the health of people that don't smoke.
I agree however that establishments should be able to choose whether or not to be smoke free or not.

Let me rephrase: Although I do not believe that smelling bad is a deep impact on society, I do believe that second hand smoke can be a detriment to one's health. That being said, I think that smoking is right that should be made to all people and the benefits or cons should not be exaggerated or lied about (See the South Park episode about anti-smoking ads).

I'll be happy to elaborate my feelings on the matter if you'd wish.

 

[new_age_reject]

the colonies went to war and broke up with england because of taxes exactly like this. LET US SMOKERS SMOKE!

Agreed.

But I I'd like to say that while i believe that if taxes are to be raised so that smokers can pay for the butts to picked up afterwards, then taxes should actually go toward that. I've noticed that even though politicians may say that taxes will help clean the streets, nothing has really been done about it. I smoke, and I know the consequences, and i also believe that owners of establishments should be able to choose if their restaurants/bars/hotels are smoke-free or not, and I'm sick of this discrimination against people who choose to smoke. I thought that western societies said they were for free will. It's bullshit, for the most part.

There is discrimination towards people who smoke because it has a deep impact on society. It smells, it puts strain on the NHS (England of course) and it affects the health of people that don't smoke.
I agree however that establishments should be able to choose whether or not to be smoke free or not.

Let me rephrase: Although I do not believe that smelling bad is a deep impact on society, I do believe that second hand smoke can be a detriment to one's health. That being said, I think that smoking is right that should be made to all people and the benefits or cons should not be exaggerated or lied about (See the South Park episode about anti-smoking ads).

I'll be happy to elaborate my feelings on the matter if you'd wish.

The smelling bad thing was a bit of a second thought but I guess that: "I think that smoking is right that should be made to all people and the benefits or cons should not be exaggerated or lied about (See the South Park episode about anti-smoking ads)." is completely just, there is a great deal of exaggeration and lying involved on both sides of the argument. Also, that is a damn good South Park episode

 

[Lusty]

Is it to discourage smoking? or is it because the state knows that people can't stop smoking and are trying to squeeze as much money as possible out of them? Is it right?

Yes, yes and.... yes.