Since state and local governments began slapping heavy taxes on cigarettes, a number of smokers have managed to pay less by buying loose tobacco and rolling their own. But as a growing number of stores have begun offering free-to-use roll-your-own machines that take the loose material and spit out a pile of smokes that look like they came straight out of the carton, some lawmakers are crying foul.
"It's a willful attempt to evade the tax that is in Massachusetts," says State Senator James Timilty to WBZ-TV. "We should shut them down."
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10 comments:
I' m growing my own next year. I had my first garden last year, and did pretty well and learned a lot. Had food through the winter! might as well grow my smokes as well!
I think its ridiculous that the tax is so high on cigarettes. Last time I checked we live in a "free" country and if people want to smoke, then let them smoke and stop raising the taxes on them! There should be a law in place though that would allow officers to pull people over and give them a huge fine for smoking in the vehicle with their children. That is so wrong. If adults choose to smoke, its their right, but they shouldn't be allowed to put their children's (who they are supposed to be protecting) lives in danger. I also agree with the law that made it illegal to smoke in public. It is also non smokers freedom to not have to breath it in.
Tobacco founded this country.and I believe that its wrong to ban smokers from smoking in public.I pay taxes so I should be aloud.the u.s. government will tax anything they can to make up for money lost in wars like iraq afghan and drugs...I.e. marijuana and the illegal immigration that have wasted tax money...oh yeah crazy bail outs and foreign loans .when tobacco is officially gone what's next? I bet gym memberships and carrot cocktails. Lmao.its only a matter of time for all these health junkies to start getting taxed then.its funny how it aint no fun till the rabbit has the gun.I also believe if a store or restaurant owner wants to allow smoking in their establishment then they should be allowed to do so.they pay taxes and if they want to risk losing customers than that should be in them.but I know they will do well when all the smokers go there to conduct their business. As for smoking around kids... I totally agree.a kid dosent have the ability to speak for themselves and a parent/adult should have enough sense nit to jeopardize their kids.
I am a smoker, and I would dream of smoking around a person who is a non-smoker without there permission, or a child. I "Stuff my own Cigarettes" to save money. I look at it this way. Your paying more taxes for your cigarettes to be made, while I pay less tax to Stuff my own. I have made my own for about 6yrs now, and I think if I can't take 10 min out of my own time to make my own cigg's, Then I shouldn't smoke. I still pay taxes on a ratio scale, so where am I taking taxes away? As far as the stores with machines? I don't think they make a good cigarette at all.
The higher the tax, the more go out of state to buy, the lower the revenue.
So the state senator wants to "shut them down"? I suggest that "we, the people" shut THEM down. Their entire agenda is spend every dime in sight, then tax everything they can see. THAT'S how they believe they "represent" us??! They are a cancer upon the people that far exceeds any other cancer we must suffer and endure....
9:40 tobacco founded this country? Hummm, how about religious beliefs? I do believe religion also played a BIG key in forming this country. But ppl want to take "Under God" out of the pledge.
9:19 the under God was added in the 1950's, it is not historically correct
Yes, it's about paying the healthcare that smoking costs all the non smokers.
Keep taxing the smokers and they will start smoking pot it would be cheaper then cigarettes.
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