Kathy Hochul quietly stirring up support for a ban on the sale of tobacco products
New York's Health Department has reportedly commissioned a new “New York Local Opinion Leaders Survey” aimed at testing support for an all-out ban on the sale of tobacco products in the state.
That was sorta my reaction to the article while reading it. Sounds like a business opportunity for drug dealers and other near do wells. On second thought, running cigarettes into NYFS might be a business opportunity for retirees to pad their SS income ;-)).
I don't think NYFS making a law banning tobacco is Constitutionally legal. Sounds like restraint of trade to me.
Most Indian reservations are exempt from a states law and have the same legal rights as states. Just market from the reservation and buy your tax free weed there as well.
I'm as opposed to smoking and chew as the next guy, but this is still a horrible idea. Popular culture is already pretty dead set against this stuff. Making it illegal would increase, not decrease, usage.
And of course the government making things illegal would increase gangs finances too, which is the last thing we need. Al Capone (and others) were a direct result of prohibition. Gangs today are the same. Without the "war on drugs" they wouldn't exist, and the violence associated with them wouldn't exist either.
FNY has already been complaing of its residents going across state borders to buy everything from cigs to booze to boolits. To paraphrase Ross Perot, that giant sucking sound you hear is losses of tax revenue.
Banning Tobacco outrught is not the correct thing to do. Increasing medical insurance rates for smokers and limiting their taxpayer supported healthcare is the answer. Freedom to do as you please as long as it is understood that I do not have to pay taxes for your tobacco caused health problems.
Higher insurance rates for tobacco users already is a thing and has been for a very long time. Every insurance application I've filled out in the past 40 years asks if you use tobacco. Answer yes and watch your rates go up. I do disagree with you as far as limiting health care. There's enough government interference in our lives now, we don't need them playing God at the end of our lives too.
Do you have any lifestyle choices that others might object to? Then no health care for you! Use something as a weapon against one group, it can (and will) be used against everyone.
Fifteen or so years ago, a number of states won a huge lawsuit against the tobacco companies. One of their arguments was that they had to pay increased health care costs for smokers. If I remember right, my state got $65 million dollars. As far as I know, not one dime of that was spent on any smokers' health care costs and of course the tobacco companies actually didn't pay a cent. The smokers did. I don't know why people don't realize that corporations don't pay taxes, fines or court settlements. We do!!
I smoke and chew. I've even been behind the wheel of a car doing one or the other. If they are allowed to ban tobacco products what's next? Alcohol, cells phones, nasty assed fast food all which kill people. They already are close to taking our guns. You do not give the govermnet power, ever. We saw this in the fake pandemic. I don't drink alcohol but the govenment has no right stopping the sales of alcohol. Just because I don't drink doesn't mean others should not.
I'm curious on how this will play out. There's still a shit ton of folks who smoke. Take the nicotine away and there's gonna be a whole lotta folks ready to fuck some shit up. A whole lot of democrats too. I think this will prove to be too much of a hill...
I smoked for well over 40 years and I quit about 8 weeks ago. Don't piss me off!
Pretty stupid idea. I am an historian, and the number of times I read of a Great Government Idea to Fix Goofy Shit that is inherently dumb and ahistorical amazes me. I shouldn't be amazed or surprised. Everything they touch is FUBAR, and if it addresses the supply of anything, gives criminals another opportunity. Cockroaches and capitalism both adapt; for cockroaches, it's to survive, for capitalism, it's to make a profit by meeting a need. I smoke my pipe/a cigar about like how often I shoot. Rarely, but consciously, and with gusto. Already made the second hard to do at all; now working on the first. I was going to add something about screwing up sex (pun intentional), but they have already done that with all this transgender BS. Smoking qua smoking isn't all that important. But as a signpost of the danger to our way of life, interfering with the liberty to smoke is.
If you think nicotine withdrawal is bad wait 'till you see what happens when the government goons have their precious tax revenue taken away. ps- Never gonna happen.
Hey Americans ... you are running out of time to over-throw your oppressive and corrupt governments. Soon Sky Net will be active and you will have no where to hide.
Blackmarketeers are rubbing their hands together in glee. Now they can add Marlboros to fentanyl and synthetic steroids in their sales catalogs.
ReplyDeleteIt will be cheaper than store bought cigs because NYS taxes the hell out of them so t(e price is over $11-$16 per pack.
DeleteThat was sorta my reaction to the article while reading it. Sounds like a business opportunity for drug dealers and other near do wells. On second thought, running cigarettes into NYFS might be a business opportunity for retirees to pad their SS income ;-)).
DeleteI don't think NYFS making a law banning tobacco is Constitutionally legal. Sounds like restraint of trade to me.
Nemo
The mafia has been running untaxed cigarettes into New York for decades.
DeleteMost Indian reservations are exempt from a states law and have the same legal rights as states. Just market from the reservation and buy your tax free weed there as well.
DeleteI'm as opposed to smoking and chew as the next guy, but this is still a horrible idea. Popular culture is already pretty dead set against this stuff. Making it illegal would increase, not decrease, usage.
ReplyDeleteAnd of course the government making things illegal would increase gangs finances too, which is the last thing we need. Al Capone (and others) were a direct result of prohibition. Gangs today are the same. Without the "war on drugs" they wouldn't exist, and the violence associated with them wouldn't exist either.
NY will then see a loss of tax revenue and an increase in smuggling.
ReplyDeleteOh, Hochul is working on a way to collect the tax without delivering the product.
DeleteFNY has already been complaing of its residents going across state borders to buy everything from cigs to booze to boolits.
DeleteTo paraphrase Ross Perot, that giant sucking sound you hear is losses of tax revenue.
Banning Tobacco outrught is not the correct thing to do. Increasing medical insurance rates for smokers and limiting their taxpayer supported healthcare is the answer. Freedom to do as you please as long as it is understood that I do not have to pay taxes for your tobacco caused health problems.
ReplyDeleteHigher insurance rates for tobacco users already is a thing and has been for a very long time. Every insurance application I've filled out in the past 40 years asks if you use tobacco. Answer yes and watch your rates go up.
DeleteI do disagree with you as far as limiting health care. There's enough government interference in our lives now, we don't need them playing God at the end of our lives too.
Do you have any lifestyle choices that others might object to? Then no health care for you! Use something as a weapon against one group, it can (and will) be used against everyone.
DeleteDear gregg, what is it to do of which I disapprove? Let's find out, shall we? Let's reduce 'our' costs by raising your costs.
DeleteGee, I wonder how far this can go. Let's find out.
Fifteen or so years ago, a number of states won a huge lawsuit against the tobacco companies. One of their arguments was that they had to pay increased health care costs for smokers. If I remember right, my state got $65 million dollars. As far as I know, not one dime of that was spent on any smokers' health care costs and of course the tobacco companies actually didn't pay a cent. The smokers did. I don't know why people don't realize that corporations don't pay taxes, fines or court settlements. We do!!
DeleteWill the nanny state let them grow their own? Or will it be illegal indoor grows?
ReplyDeleteGrowing tobacco isn't as easy as most folks think.
DeleteEspecially when you live in Canada, it needs special climate to grow.
DeleteI smoke and chew. I've even been behind the wheel of a car doing one or the other. If they are allowed to ban tobacco products what's next? Alcohol, cells phones, nasty assed fast food all which kill people. They already are close to taking our guns. You do not give the govermnet power, ever. We saw this in the fake pandemic. I don't drink alcohol but the govenment has no right stopping the sales of alcohol. Just because I don't drink doesn't mean others should not.
ReplyDeleteOh, Hell yes! Go for it, folks. I'm ordering more popcorn and extra butter, this is going to be something awesome to watch.
ReplyDeleteI'm curious on how this will play out. There's still a shit ton of folks who smoke. Take the nicotine away and there's gonna be a whole lotta folks ready to fuck some shit up. A whole lot of democrats too. I think this will prove to be too much of a hill...
ReplyDeleteI smoked for well over 40 years and I quit about 8 weeks ago. Don't piss me off!
Okay, smuggling it is, then!
ReplyDeletePretty stupid idea. I am an historian, and the number of times I read of a Great Government Idea to Fix Goofy Shit that is inherently dumb and ahistorical amazes me. I shouldn't be amazed or surprised. Everything they touch is FUBAR, and if it addresses the supply of anything, gives criminals another opportunity. Cockroaches and capitalism both adapt; for cockroaches, it's to survive, for capitalism, it's to make a profit by meeting a need.
ReplyDeleteI smoke my pipe/a cigar about like how often I shoot. Rarely, but consciously, and with gusto. Already made the second hard to do at all; now working on the first.
I was going to add something about screwing up sex (pun intentional), but they have already done that with all this transgender BS.
Smoking qua smoking isn't all that important. But as a signpost of the danger to our way of life, interfering with the liberty to smoke is.
If you think nicotine withdrawal is bad wait 'till you see what happens when the government goons have their precious tax revenue taken away. ps- Never gonna happen.
ReplyDeleteHey Americans ... you are running out of time to over-throw your oppressive and corrupt governments. Soon Sky Net will be active and you will have no where to hide.
ReplyDelete