KTAB Abilene: Electronic Nicotine Fix

[Tone]

This make me want to take up smoking again so I can die my cig out on her head.

[calligal]

On March 31st she stated the high tax on cigarettes was wonderful and hopefully would get people off tobacco. Now we are off tobacco but it sounds like the e-cig took her by surprise.


Smokers fume over higher tax
By Garner Roberts Special to the Reporter-News Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Jerry Middleton, of Jerry's Smoke Shop, calls it "taxation without representation," and Suzanne Starr, of Hendrick Cancer Center, calls smoking "a health issue, not a moral issue."

Tobacco companies and public health advocates, longtime foes in the nicotine battles, were talking Monday about this week's federal tax increase on cigarettes and other tobacco products. The Associated Press said the increase that takes effect Wednesday is "the single largest federal tobacco tax increase ever."

"Most of my customers are just plain upset," said Middleton, owner of the smoke shop at 1465 Pine St. for the past 12 years. "It's taxation without representation. They don't have enough smokers to make any money with this."

The federal tax on one pack of cigarettes goes from 39 cents to $1.01, and the federal tax on chewing tobacco climbs to 50 cents per pound from 19.5 cents per pound -- a 156 percent increase.

Bill Calame, owner of The Leaf, 202 Cypress St., said the price per pound for tobacco used for roll-your-own cigarettes will increase to $24 per pound from $1 per pound -- a more than 2,000 percent increase.

"The roll-your-own group is going to be most affected," Middleton added.

People in the medical profession see the tax increase, especially during a recession, as an incentive to persuade smokers to quit.

"My prayer is that it does discourage the use of tobacco," said Starr, education services manager at Hendrick Medical Center. "Maybe this will help people who are teetering on the brink of quitting.
"I'm thrilled at this increase," she added. "They couldn't raise it high enough for me. It's not a moral issue; it's a huge health issue."

Starr teaches Hendrick's free tobacco cessation classes, which are offered frequently throughout the year.

The entire article is here : Smokers fume over higher tax : ReporterNews.com : Abilene, Texas, News, Business, Homes, Jobs, Cars & Information

[LaceyUnderall]

Calligal - Great find! This is exactly what I am talking about. True colors are starting to show nationwide and it is fantastic.

We were just talking about this in the car. The ACS and other anti-smoking establishments should be putting up the money to test electronic cigarettes. If this is truly about health, then they should be able to see the positive qualities of no carcinogens and no second hand smoke. If their problem is really with burning tobacco, then this should be a no brainer.

There are going to be a lot of cramped corners over the next few months and it will be interesting to watch.

[lachesis]

Perhaps I should attend one of her free-class and vape with Screwdriver.

[Vicks Vap-oh-Yeah]

Perhaps I should attend one of her free-class and vape with Screwdriver.

Oooooo - I dare you! I double-dog dare you! I might even be pursuaded to pursuade someone to loan you theirs......

[csrober055]

Sadly, I am afraid that this has progressed to a point of no control. The FDA is about as interested in your health as they are interested in what happened to the penny I lost last weekend.

What is being highlighted in these matters is the process of elimination of conflict with the large contributors and monopolies that are simply puppets. As I read somewhere, unless there is going to be a profit, they are simply not interested for the reasons of their wallet. This is not concerning health, nor will anyone prove this further by addressing health issues.

It has been made quite clear that, "It will require regulation". It speaks for itself. The beast wants the power, the money and the greed has overwhelmed any good intention that the FDA may have once stood for, and that goes for any given portion of governmental power in today's world.

Quite simply, Phil Morris is more of a crushing economic power than what any other brand/make of any item could dream to be, other than banks that we deal with everyday, and this is where their heads dwell: Within the economic gods and decision makers.

The FDA would be better suited as being known as: Financier's Declarative Address. Financiers is all that these people are, and trust me... They are not interested in the things that we are highlighting here.

Why is it that none of them have paid attention to what the product is? Simply because they don't have to, they know it's not a million dollar flute and that's just that.

-Chris R.

[harmony gardens]

"My prayer is that it does discourage the use of tobacco," said Starr, education services manager at Hendrick Medical Center. "Maybe this will help people who are teetering on the brink of quitting.
"I'm thrilled at this increase," she added. "They couldn't raise it high enough for me. It's not a moral issue; it's a huge health issue."

I wonder if it's occurred to this woman that eCigs could be an answer to a lot of prayers, too.

I'm new here, this is my first post. I want to say hi to the community!!

[Vicks Vap-oh-Yeah]

I wonder if it's occurred to this woman that eCigs could be an answer to a lot of prayers, too.

I'm new here, this is my first post. I want to say hi to the community!!

Hi Harmony - Welcome to the forum.