Another Tax Increase for Smokers

The federal government is raising the tax on a pack of cigarettes forty-three cents, which means smokers again, are picking up the tax burden. This time they are raising fund to pay for underinsured children.

As if smokers did not pay too many taxes already for a pack or carton of cigarettes, the federal government is planning to raise the taxes again. This is absurd to many of us who smoke. I understand why they must raise taxes but why continue to pick on the smokers.

You cannot fight the government, there are plenty of ways you can voice your opinion. Use the phone lines or write your congress people. Let them know you disapprove of this tax increase.

This new cigarette tax increase is the Hatch Kennedy Bill, which is aiming to raise about 30 billion dollars over five years. That is not going to work, because if they raise the taxes too much smokers will quit buying the cigarettes, which rather defeats the purpose in my eyes. It does not take a rocket scientist to figure that one out.

Ray brought me home a little postcard-sized paper stating they were going to raise a carton of cigarettes by 6 dollars. I am so glad I do not buy cigarettes by the carton or pack. I roll my own cigarettes and the loose-leaf tobacco I use is going up.

So what can we do to avoid the tax increase should it go thru? Well the obvious would be to quit smoking, but many of use enjoy it and are highly addicted so quitting is moot. We could buy cigarettes off the internet and avoid the taxes, but the government does watch those sites that say they are tax-free and will fine you in addition to taxing you. No one wants a fine for doing something our ancestors have done for eons.

It is just not cigarettes that cause cancer or many of the other illnesses around these days. That is just the way it is, straight up. That is why they say they are raising the taxes; they say cigarette smoking causes tons of health problems.

My grandfather Pond lived to the ripe old age of 105 and smoked everyday since he was a teenager, his health was excellent for his age. He lived on his own and did an Irish jig for his 99^th birthday, he died of old age. A nurse I know had lung cancer recently she has never smoked a day in her life and does not 'hang' with smokers. The government is no saying there is a cancer gene, which means it, runs in families.

Granted smoking is bad for some people, and some just hate the smell. Me I would rather sit with a bunch of smokers then I would spend a minute with someone who bathes in cologne or perfume. That sets me off into an asthma attack much quicker then cigarette smoke.

Tax increase or not, I will continue to smoke cigarettes because I enjoy it, it helps me to relax. I figure if I do not smoke around others and do not throw my butts on the ground I am fine.