Indians, Big Tobacco and the PACT Act

[rothenbj]

I found this article on the history of tobacco in the NY Reservations, how BT has gotten involved and the PACT Act. Very Informative-

Native American Cigarette Industry is Being Crushed | Long Island Press

 

[JerryRM]

I clicked on the link and ended up at the BBC News page. I didn't see the article you mentioned.

 

[firechick]

Native American Cigarette Industry is Being Crushed | Long Island Press

 

[SuZamme]

Here is the link where I found the article after going to BBC and reading the news around the world from the "over the pond" perspective.

http://www.longislandpress.com/2010/03/11/the-native-american-cigarette-industry-is-being-crushed/

 

[rothenbj]

Native American Cigarette Industry is Being Crushed | Long Island Press

Sorry about that. Not sure what happened with copy paste.

 

[firechick]

Being within 50-75 miles of many of these Seneca reservation stores, I was pretty familiar with the situation. This article did have a couple of tidbits I was NOT aware of. The store in Seneca Falls is really causing a huge debate. I have seen dozens of non-native merchant's vehicles parading a route to the NYS thruway in protest of that rez store. There were "No Reservation, No Sovereign Nation" signs in front of a lot of businesses and homes.

I also remember quite well when the Senecas blocked the roads and burned tires on the thruway.

A lot of people here make regular trips to the rez for smokes.

 

[JerryRM]

It was a long but very interesting article, well worth reading.

I had heard about the "tax free cigarettes and terrorism" argument, but I didn't know that it was a creation of BT.

 

[TWalker]

I live just blocks away from the Mescalero Apache reservation and can verify they are crushing the Native cig business. Prices are skyrocketing. In fact earlier today I bought some and were cheaper but almost double last year prices.

 

[taz3cat]

Gosh, the bill said it won't hurt the Indians much. Our government was still honoring their sovereignty. I guess the Indians have been cheated again. We all may be cheated before they get thought.

Everyone need to sign the FDA Petitions and please write down the number they give you to track your comments. We may need them to make sure they are posting the comments like they are suppose to.

 

[wave42]

Gosh, the bill said it won't hurt the Indians much. Our government was still honoring their sovereignty. I guess the Indians have been cheated again. We all may be cheated before they get thought.

The concept of Indian sovereignty has always been a joke. They are more like "wards of the state". They are not recognized as independent nations outside of the USA.

 

[Dredbull]

If anything that history teaches us..is that the good ole usa cheats steals and kills the natives.

 

[Bill Godshall]

The new PACT Act (which was approved by the US House last week, and had already been approved by the Senate) only prohibits Native Tribes from selling untaxed cigarettes to non Tribal members. They can continue selling untaxed cigarettes to Tribal members.