is your state's cigarette tax....

[dazzleman]

In general, I think that taxes should be a low percentage of the economic value of any product.

By this measure, cigarette taxes in most places are too high.

I am not a smoker, but I think that such high taxes on a particular legal product constitute effective a political 'ganging up' on the minority of people who smoke by the majority that doesn't smoke.

I hate cigarettes and would never smoke, but I think it's an abuse of the political system to keep targeting smokers to pay inordinate amounts for cigarettes so the rest of us don't have to pay more.

In addition, such high cigarette taxes encourage bootlegging and facilitate the expansion of organized crime in the business of cigarette distribution.

[dazzleman]

In general, I think that taxes should be a low percentage of the economic value of any product.

By this measure, cigarette taxes in most places are too high.

I am not a smoker, but I think that such high taxes on a particular legal product constitute effective a political 'ganging up' on the minority of people who smoke by the majority that doesn't smoke.

I hate cigarettes and would never smoke, but I think it's an abuse of the political system to keep targeting smokers to pay inordinate amounts for cigarettes so the rest of us don't have to pay more.

In addition, such high cigarette taxes encourage bootlegging and facilitate the expansion of organized crime in the business of cigarette distribution.

People should not be smoking due to health reasons.  High cigarette taxes do the smoker a favor; the more they spend, the more likely they are to realize they're dumbfcks and kick the habit.

There are lots of things people shouldn't do for health reasons.  It's really not the government's job to punish people for doing something that is bad for their health.

Smokers are just a convenient target because their defensiveness and shame about their habit prevents them from fighting back.

[dazzleman]

I bet Texas (republican gerrymandered) has some real loonie leftists in the few districts where they stuffed all the solidly democratic voters.

Look no further than Sheila Jackson Lee.

[dazzleman]

Smokers are just a convenient target because their defensiveness and shame about their habit prevents them from fighting back.

I fightback, dazzle. I blew my stack at a recent Labour Party meeting. Basically, in light of 90-days detention for terror suspects being rejected, and a 'total' smoking ban being approved, by the Commons; I stood there and said the Commons had their priorities wrong

Dave

Good point.  What is a 'total' smoking ban?  No smoking in any public places?

I don't have a problem with public smoking bans.  I hate the smell of cigarettes, plus it's unhealthy, so I generally support banning smoking where it can inflict the smell on other people against their will.

I also find it interesting that those most concerned with punishing smokers seem to have a more tolerant attitude toward drugs.  Which is worse?

[dazzleman]

Smokers are just a convenient target because their defensiveness and shame about their habit prevents them from fighting back.

I fightback, dazzle. I blew my stack at a recent Labour Party meeting. Basically, in light of 90-days detention for terror suspects being rejected, and a 'total' smoking ban being approved, by the Commons; I stood there and said the Commons had their priorities wrong

Dave

Good point.  What is a 'total' smoking ban?  No smoking in any public places?

Not any. Pubs, clubs, restaurants that kind of thing. Cinemas, threatres, much of public transport banned them over a period of time. I don't have a problem with that

I agree with a blanket ban where food is served, but failing that bans should be a matter for the pub's owners, or the club's members, to decide

But bearing in mind that 90-days detention for terrorist suspects was rejected, such a ban that goes beyond where food is served only rubs salt into it

Dave

The terrorist detention is a separate issue, but surely it should take priority over anything smoking-related.  Why is the left side of the spectrum so willing to sacrifice the lives and security of millions to protect terrorists?