“The Tobacco Tax” an editorial article from washingtonpost.com talks about the significance of a tax raise on tobacco and the president’s view against it. Even though statistics have shown that a 10 percent tax raise on tobacco can decrease overall tobacco consumption by 2 percent, a tax raise proposed to increase the price of tobacco 61 cents per pack is being delayed. This raise is estimated to decrease the number of adult smokers by 1.2 million and to stop 1.9 million children from being smokers in the future. The money collected was also for a good cause; to help expand State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).
What is the reason behind the delay in the tax raise? The reason can be a little blurry, especially for those who know why the tax raise is proposed (to decrease the number of smokers and to fund SCHIP). The tax income, since it decreases the number of smokers will not be able to fund SCHIP after five years, and that is the reason. What’s blurry about the reason is that, the president used the possibility of achieving the aim (decreasing the number of smokers) as a cause not to implement the proposal.
If a tax increase is being done to decrease the number of smokers, then the fact that the number of smokers will decrease in five years should not be the reason not to increase the tax, it does not even make sense. Using the little knowledge I got from my government class as a reference, I will state my opinion. I believe that there are the hands of tobacco campaigns behind all the action. The American government system which is like a legal corruption allows individuals and campaigns to affect the legislation system, by giving them the right to pay for the political campaigns of office candidates. The candidates in return, if they win will work to make laws fevering the lobbyists. This way of legislation is more favorable for those with money. This way of legislation I think is one of the defaults in the government perhaps the reason behind the tax raise; it should be stopped or highly limited.
What about a Tobacco Tax?
By ethiog - Posted on June 12th, 2008
Tagged: health and wellness
• Effective government
I do understand the point your are making, I do not wish to comment on that!
I would like to bring up something else about smoking! The whole of Europe is kind of fed up with the smoking ban which is a trend that started overseas in the US, these days one can no longer smoke inside bars and restaurants while it pisses off a large amount of individuals all around the continent.
In Spain they literally put up the finger to this trend which is clearly out of place in some areas, whereas in Barcelona everyone follows the new laws, in Madrid although it has become illegal, most bars and restaurant don’t care less about this law while they keep allowing their customers to smoke inside establishments.
To ban smoking or to prevent people from doing so in the future needs another approach, which is one of understanding!
Some people have no other luxury besides smoking because they can simply not afford anything else instead. To raise prices upon tobacco will not make push them to quit smoking, they will become only more poor then they already were before having to pay way too much for their luxury product.
Other than that there are other ways to prevent youngsters to get hooked to tobacco, to fill youngsters with disgust is by far the best way to keep them from smoking.
Smoking is something which has to grow out generation wise, to focus upon youngsters only is by far the best solution in order to ban cigarettes out this world.
Who is who to go and tell one can’t smoke his cigarette?