...at the very least, it's a poor plan to spend new revenue.
Per Bill Godshall's wonderful weekly update on all things THR related...
West Virginia legislation (SB 586) would increase cigarette tax from $.55 to $1.55/pack and increase OTP tax from 7% to 50% of wholesale price, half of revenue would fund anti tobacco programs and propaganda.
SB 586 Text
Raises cig taxes, of course. But, historically, these higher tax rates on cigarettes do cut smoking rates. Ok, fair enough, there is data to prove this could save lives.
However, this bill also raises safer alternative product (like snus and eventually all things ecig related) taxes from 7% to 50% of wholesale price. That's 43%!!! So, if a nicotine user were going to make a switch for no other reason than saving money (because they have been lied to for decades about the reduced risk of those other products), and would coincidentally also be using a product at least 90% safer than smoking a cigarette, that single, pocket-money incentive is eliminated! And it gets better...
HALF of this new revenue will be going to the new "West Virginia Healthy Future Fund." This is to fund programs based on "Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Best Practices for tobacco Control and Prevention." (Those programs that don't work, fabulous "Quit Lines," etc. How many out there still have "Quit Line" business cards laying around? We sure need to spend more money on those.)
That's right, Folks, more nicotine user money dumped into the pockets of sanctimonious cronies to fund their propaganda campaigns spewing how nicotine users are evil and responsible for everything from deforestation to foot fungus in children to global warming!!!
And when they're going after tobacco money, they're really motivated, too. A legislature that has been arguing about term limits for over 15 years introduced this bill on Valentine's Day, is currently under review in the Health & Human Resources Committee, and set to be voted on before the 2012 session wraps it up at midnight on March 10th. If it passes, it's written to become effective July 1, 2012.
Not surprisingly, 2 of the 3 sponsors of this bill are physicians (aka "FIB" -ers Fear of Illness Brokers
)
I defer to Bill's experience in the political arena...
Bill, what do you see as regards the potential of this bill?
(Note: if you don't already receive Bill's wonderful, weekly THR update, email him to be added to his mailing list.)
Per Bill Godshall's wonderful weekly update on all things THR related...
West Virginia legislation (SB 586) would increase cigarette tax from $.55 to $1.55/pack and increase OTP tax from 7% to 50% of wholesale price, half of revenue would fund anti tobacco programs and propaganda.
SB 586 Text
Raises cig taxes, of course. But, historically, these higher tax rates on cigarettes do cut smoking rates. Ok, fair enough, there is data to prove this could save lives.
However, this bill also raises safer alternative product (like snus and eventually all things ecig related) taxes from 7% to 50% of wholesale price. That's 43%!!! So, if a nicotine user were going to make a switch for no other reason than saving money (because they have been lied to for decades about the reduced risk of those other products), and would coincidentally also be using a product at least 90% safer than smoking a cigarette, that single, pocket-money incentive is eliminated! And it gets better...
HALF of this new revenue will be going to the new "West Virginia Healthy Future Fund." This is to fund programs based on "Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Best Practices for tobacco Control and Prevention." (Those programs that don't work, fabulous "Quit Lines," etc. How many out there still have "Quit Line" business cards laying around? We sure need to spend more money on those.)
That's right, Folks, more nicotine user money dumped into the pockets of sanctimonious cronies to fund their propaganda campaigns spewing how nicotine users are evil and responsible for everything from deforestation to foot fungus in children to global warming!!!
And when they're going after tobacco money, they're really motivated, too. A legislature that has been arguing about term limits for over 15 years introduced this bill on Valentine's Day, is currently under review in the Health & Human Resources Committee, and set to be voted on before the 2012 session wraps it up at midnight on March 10th. If it passes, it's written to become effective July 1, 2012.
Not surprisingly, 2 of the 3 sponsors of this bill are physicians (aka "FIB" -ers Fear of Illness Brokers
)I defer to Bill's experience in the political arena...
Bill, what do you see as regards the potential of this bill?
(Note: if you don't already receive Bill's wonderful, weekly THR update, email him to be added to his mailing list.)
