It Finally Happened

[NeverBend]

My friend is a reporter who covers the Florida State Legislature in Tallahassee and he emailed me part of his story.

April 1, 2015
Tallahassee

Speaker of the house Steve Crisafulli commented that the house voted 85-31 (4 abstained) to pass the tax increase on non-cigarette tobacco products from the current 85% to 220% and that the bill should pass the senate with minimal opposition.

The current rate of 85% was already one of the highest in the nation but Crisafulli feels that the legislation could be a template for other states.

The bill was included in adjunct legislation to the state budget that also passed today. The legislative package was jointly sponsored by representatives Sharon Pritchett (Broward), Ray Lake (Duval), Amanda Murphy (Pasco) and Mike Miller (Orange) and its language ties all smoking together so that it is now effectively illegal to use tobacco products anywhere in public in the state of Florida.

Stock up folks.

[LandonColby]

Why can't these pricks just piss off and worry about themselves.
...I honestly don't have anything good to say. I'm thoroughly disappointed.

[LandonColby]

Can you link to the full copy?

[Emperor Zurg]

That right there is why I've been buying what I've been buying. Not that I smoke like a fiend or intend to start, but I'm not paying some bastard politicians a 220% tax for any reason. At least it's only Florida right now but I'm sure this thinking will spread like a cancer to other states. I'm surprised the Fed hasn't pulled something like this yet.

Check this out: this is only about cigarettes but note who it's from, tobacco-free kids. Can someone explain to me how screwing adults equates to tobacco free KIDS?

http://www.tobaccofreekids.org/resea...s/pdf/0097.pdf

[UncleFesterESQ]

Waiting to comment until I see the full article. While Florida currently has an 85% on all non-cigarette tobacco, it has a 0% tax on cigars. I wonder if this bill will change that?

Here is a pdf link to all states current tobacco taxes:
http://www.tobaccofreekids.org/resea...s/pdf/0169.pdf


EDIT: DAMN you Emperor Zurg for beating me to the link punch!!!

EDIT 2: NM... my link has all tobacco rates, not just cigarettes.

[NeverBend]

Can you link to the full copy?

Hi Landon,

This is all that I have. l think that it's part of his copy that I suppose will hot the news service when he submits it.

[Emperor Zurg]

Waiting to comment until I see the full article. While Florida currently has an 85% on all non-cigarette tobacco, it has a 0% tax on cigars. I wonder if this bill will change that?

Here is a pdf link to all states current tobacco taxes:
http://www.tobaccofreekids.org/resea...s/pdf/0169.pdf

EDIT: DAMN you Emperor Zurg for beating me to the link punch!!!

I am light years ahead of you!!! LOL!

It is important to raise tax rates on all tobacco products to prevent initiation with or switching to lower-taxed and lower-priced
tobacco products.... WHAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!

(Bawling sound: Mine)

Maybe someone ought to tell these pricks that IT'S ILLEGAL FOR KIDS TO SMOKE. PERIOD!!
But somehow, I doubt they'd care...

[BryGuySC]

Waiting for Tobias to chime in with an "I told ya so."

[Tobias Lutz]

Waiting for Tobias to chime in with an "I told ya so."

I've got too much class for that

[LandonColby]

Gentlemen... hear me out.

This is how it's gonna work. We all band together, we all take out the highest loans permitted to us, buyout the entire tobacco Industry for joint ownership and keep it up and running solely for ourselves. We sell only enough tobacco to keep the operation running at no cost to us...SO

When do we start