Abstention winning out over extra $1.25 among smokers
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- June
- 5
  The $1.25-per-pack cigarette tax hike is apparently too much for a lot of New York smokers. The state Health Department announced this week that adult smoking in 2008 was at the lowest rate ever recorded—16.7 percent of the population. That’s a 12 percent decrease, or nearly 310,000 fewer smokers, from the previous year.
  New York increased its cigarette excise tax by $1.25 to a total of $2.75 per pack on June 3, 2008. At the time, the state had the highest cigarette tax in the country. The federal tax on cigarettes went up 61 cents this April.
  Research shows that increasing taxes is the most effective way to reduce smoking because higher prices cause people to quit smoking and they prevent young people from starting the habit, according to the state Health Department. The Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids estimated that the $1.25 tax increase on cigarettes would prevent more than 243,000 New York children alive today from smoking and drive 140,000 more New York smokers to quit for good.
  “For the first time, New York’s adult smoking rate has dropped below 17 percent, which is well below the national average,” state Health Commissioner Richard Daines, a physician, said in a statement.
  The state’s Smokers’ Quitline has logged more than 220,000 since June 3, 2008 and provided free nicotine-replacement mediations to more than 140,000 smokers trying to break their addiction, the Health Department said. The hotline number is 866-NY-QUITS (866-697-8487). The Web site is www.nysmokefree.com.
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on Friday, June 5th, 2009 at 12:28 pm by Cara Matthews.
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I am one of those who quit over the ridiculous tax increases over smoking and I could care less. They can talk a big game over how great it is that these taxes drove people to quit but they also forget the thousands of jobs it is costing as well as the millions in tax revenues.
Whats worse is the state and Fed has tied cigarrette taxes to health care and education program funding so when people quit smoking and tobacco companies go out of business these programs go unfunded. Hence why Paterson has gone after Beer, soft drinks, and liquor in the state now to further increase tax revenues. Fatty foods are next. Pretty soon buying a Snickers bar is going to cost $5 bucks. Good luck with this new fanged government telling you what to eat and drink. Fun times indeed.
And why do you think all this is happening and will continue to happen until the State either implodes from the eventual exodus of its best and brightest or succeeds in creating a population of socialist sheep who only want and refuse to contribute? Anyone who finds contentment in allowing a cynical one-party steamroller to ill- pave the already rocky roads of government deserves the treacherous commute.
Patersons raise of the excise tax and then additional taxes on each case of beer in the state is going to hurt thousands of beer and soda distributors and it is almost certain that Budweiser in Syracuse will be shutting down and moving operations to Kentucky thus costing NY 7,000 jobs and millions in tax revenues, etc. And Patersons response? Lets cut the STAR program to decrease spending.
This state is in big trouble. This government can’t even run a profitable gambling institution in NYRA. Fire them all!
No mention of how they came up with these numbers but there are only two possibilities: The first one is using stats on cigarettes sold LEGALLY within NY borders which is a joke. At least 20% of the cigarettes smoked by New Yorkers are off the radar. Either black market or bought out of state. The second possibility is they pulled these numbers out of a dark stinky hole.
Thats true. Folks can save as much as $30-$40 bucks a carton in New Hampshire. My brand is around $40 bucks in Salem but around $80 here. Since my travels take me right through New Hampshire at least once a month it was easy to buy there when I did smoke. The Federal tax increase did make them rise up there .61 cents per pack.
States though are feeling the pinch. The state and fed tax increases has seen state tax revenues fall which is the foundation for their numbers. CT saw massive tax shortages a couple years ago due to rises in prices.
Smoking is close to a breaking point. The numbers will continue to fall so unless NY reigns in spending they are going to have to start taxing other “sins” now which is exactly what we are seeing. Alcohol taxes have spiked, soft drinks, and soon fatty foods. Oddly enough you can still get a double cheeseburger from McDonald’s for 99 cents.