Tobacco Industry Showing True Colors

[crxess]

I've said from the beginning - BT is the enemy of the vaping community
Deceptive practices
Government coercion
Cig-a-like business buy ins

Not just in the US, but World Wide


http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/64093-italian-tobacco-industry-wrestling-with-electronic-cigarettes/

[h=1]Italian tobacco Industry Tries to Ban E-Cigarettes[/h] Last week, the Italian union of tobacco operators filed a request with a regional court to block the sale of e-cigarettes.

“It’s unfair competition” -Enzo Perrotta, President, Union of Tobacco Operators
​

According to Enzo Perrota, President of Italy’s Union of Tobacco Operators, e-cigarettes present unfair competition for the tobacco industry, because they are not regulated like traditional cigarettes, and are not taxed as highly.
The Federation of Italian Tobacconists has also issued a statement, claiming that e-cigarettes, along with smuggling and counterfeiting, are hurting tobacco company profits, putting 20,000 jobs at risk. They also point out that if e-cigarettes were taxed at the same rate as tobacco cigarettes, it could bring in $1.28 billion for the Italian government. This number is highly suspect, considering the entire e-cigarette industry pulled in less than that amount in the last year.

And of course most governments are heavily fueled by Tobacco Taxation.

Contrary to popular belief, just like BT, Government does NOT want smokers to Quit, they simply want Non-smokers to think they do for the VOTES they provide.

It is a simple case of Divide and Conquer. Keep Non-smokers and Smokers battling while BT and Gov. laugh their way to the bank.

 

[pfaber11]

i agree our government knows most people cannot stop smoking and just wants the money they couldn't give a Damn about their health.

 

[volume control]

Awww poor babies is it not fair? Wahhhh lololol. Nothing like watching grown men cry

 

[crxess]

Another excellent article on the Financial effects of Tobacco Tax on government.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/31/weekinreview/31saul.html?_r=0

Simple fact is, government will not stop until they get their cut of the Vapors pie.
FDA is not about Protection or regulation. It is about opening the Door for Government to enact Taxation.

 

[Jethead]

big tobacco is our enemy.

 

[AgentAnia]

This is what I see as the ultimate irony of the "smoking cessation" movement: On the one hand, Public health officials, regulators, legislators, and the ANTZ all say they're in the business of "persuading" smokers to quit their evil habit. On the other hand, 1) governments have come to rely heavily on tobacco tax revenue to fund essential programs that have nothing to do with smoking. (Education comes to mind. In my state, education funding depends heavily on sin tax revenue.) and 2) the livelihoods of most antis are dependent on smokers continuing to smoke, so anything not within their control that helps people off cigarettes (i.e. ecigs) has to be viewed with alarm.

As far as BT is concerned, I absolutely agree they are not our friend. But our numbers are increasing every day, and if we shout loud enough, we may not be able to stop them in their tracks, but we sure can make them stumble and fall behind.

 

[JBL-37]

Big tobacco is everyone's enemy. What other industry is known for killing people and able to continue doing so. Sadly, no ones voice is loud enough to change this and it's been proven time and time again.

 

[SilverCloud]

None of this comes as no surprise, as I'm sure we've all seen the BT/Governmental storm clouds gathering...

Sadly, our "government" makes alot of money off of nicotine addiction via cigarrettes. And they'll try to promote quitting smoking through lame propagandized statements....yet you never see any government-sponsored smoking cessation programs, now do you? The obvious drop in said revenue is going to coerce the "government" even more into playing along with the agenda of Big Tobacco and their myriad of lobbyists. And it looks like the "Public Safety" card may be the first card they play...maybe even through a few staged, farce nicotine overdoses from bad e-liquids. The route the government/tobacco cabal will pursue is becoming increasingly obvious, almost with each passing day.

We as Vapers need to be on heightened alert to whatever tricks they may pull.... including possible disinformation "agents" and trolls infiltrating the E-cig forums and other internet sites including YouTube. A popular tactic is to get the public to agree with, believe and accept legislation they wish to impose. We need to ban together, expose and shoot down such blatent lies and mistruths as soon as we spot them.

Vape well.....

Bri

 

[Oxyd]

Nothing surprising here. Business is about income, and income is what the business is trying to protect. They “filed a request” – it is everyone's right to file requests with court. The important bit here will be the decision of the court. The court is actually supposed to care about health of people and it is supposed to operate independently of the government. Hopefully, it will deliver. And if the court does decide in favour of tobacco companies, I hope e-cig companies will fight back – the request's been filed with a regional court, so it can always be taken to higher levels.

 

[iceman68]

And of course most governments are heavily fueled by Tobacco Taxation.

Contrary to popular belief, just like BT, Government does NOT want smokers to Quit, they simply want Non-smokers to think they do for the VOTES they provide.

It is a simple case of Divide and Conquer. Keep Non-smokers and Smokers battling while BT and Gov. laugh their way to the bank.

Not to mention BP(Big Pharma), who make billions from drug sales to people with smoking-related illness and disease. So, with BT, GOV, and BP you have these three giant entities who all profit enormously from smoking. Anything that cuts into those profits, (i.e. e-cigs), is seen as a threat. Thus, a viable, healthier alternative which has the potential to save lives will be condemned, regulated, over-taxed, etc. All with GOV complicity, so BT can retain the upper hand.

I fear that the full potential of e-cigs and vaping will never be realized due to corporate greed and power.

 

[llamainmypocket]

The justification for increasing the price of cigarettes was to encourage alternatives. Since e cigarettes are an alternative I would say that is mission accomplished. Let's see if Italy is smart enough to even know what its doing... I doubt it is. Government officials are among the stupidest people on earth.

 

[supermarket]

Unfair Competition?

First of all, what is "fair" competition? How on earth is it "fair" for the small, virtually new and shaky e-cig industry to compete with BIG TOBACCO? What determines "fair?"

If they are speaking STRICTLY on the fact that e-cigs aren't taxed like cigarettes, well, how is that the e-cig industries fault? They aren't asking for e-cigs to be TAXED....they are asking for the sales of them to be STOPPED. HUGE difference.

They aren't trying to "level the playing field", as if that is even possible, they are trying to simply PREVENT this new, healthy alternative from taking root.

They are shaking in their boots at the concept of a nicotine delivery system as effective as vaping, which has FAR LESS health consequences of cigs.

Big Tobacco using the words "unfair competition". Never in my life...

 

[crxess]

The justification for increasing the price of cigarettes was to encourage alternatives. Since e cigarettes are an alternative I would say that is mission accomplished. Let's see if Italy is smart enough to even know what its doing... I doubt it is. Government officials are among the stupidest people on earth.

Think again.....:

On February 4, 2009, the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 was signed into law, which raised the federal tax rate for cigarettes on April 1, 2009 from $0.39 per pack to $1.01 per pack.[8][9] The purpose of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) is to provide aid for impoverished children. With the increased revenue from tobacco taxes SCHIP can now afford to include families with up to three times the federal poverty level as well as children from high-income families in New York and New Jersey. SCHIP will also be able to cover dental benefits and treatment of mental illnesses where it previously could not. In addition to providing these services for U.S. citizens, SCHIP is also expanded to cover immigrant children and immigrant pregnant women.[10]

Cigarette taxes in the United States - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Government Planning is always Slideways and with slight of hand involved.