8 ms·

Rich people are far less likely to smoke, and when they do they don't smoke enough to make up for the imbalance so this is by its very definition a regressive t

Rich people are far less likely to smoke, and when they do they don't smoke enough to make up for the imbalance so this is by its very definition a regressive tax policy that affects lower class communities the hardest. And I'm just not sure I can get down with your intolerance. Smokers are people too. I know a tremendous number of them having made friends with my working class neighborhood in Brooklyn as well as my father. Passive smoking sucks but shaming people who smoke isn't really the answer just like shaming people who are overweight is also a tremendously shitty thing to do.

jokoon 11y ago
I'm not talking about shaming. But I think it's a right thing to penalize people who smokes, at least financially. How else ? It is the same thing for marijuana I believe. If both the supply and demand are high, but the health effect are bad, it's fair to introduce a tax. It doesn't have a lot to do with regressive tax policies, which are based either on income or wealth, you can't apply that to tobacco products. Next time are we going to argue about the tax on heroin once it's legal ? Public health policies are tricky because markets force are involved with addiction forces.
- perfTerm 11y ago
  You can though. When someone says raising tobacco taxes will increase government coffers by X, they're effectively levying that tax primarily on lower and lower middle class families since those communities are more likely to smoke cigarettes.
  - jokoon 11y ago
    I'm left wing, to me smoking is bad, there is just no fucking excuse. People can smoke, but it's a luxury and it comes with a price. What happens to heroin addicts when the regular dealer go to prison ? They stop using. It's a shitty situation in every way. There is just no way you can defend a lower tax on cigaret, except maybe if you're anti government. People will choose to buy food and rent before buying cigarets. At least it will reduce their smoking habits. It's not just about funding government, it's also about discouraging people from buying cigarets. I honestly don't see any other way. Prohibiting would not work, it's a matter of game theory and a fine balance between smuggling cigarets and people buying them. And honestly the cigaret tax paid is nothing compared to other taxes.

jokoon 11y ago

I'm not talking about shaming. But I think it's a right thing to penalize people who smokes, at least financially. How else ? It is the same thing for marijuana I believe. If both the supply and demand are high, but the health effect are bad, it's fair to introduce a tax. It doesn't have a lot to do with regressive tax policies, which are based either on income or wealth, you can't apply that to tobacco products. Next time are we going to argue about the tax on heroin once it's legal ? Public health policies are tricky because markets force are involved with addiction forces.

perfTerm 11y ago
You can though. When someone says raising tobacco taxes will increase government coffers by X, they're effectively levying that tax primarily on lower and lower middle class families since those communities are more likely to smoke cigarettes.
- jokoon 11y ago
  I'm left wing, to me smoking is bad, there is just no fucking excuse. People can smoke, but it's a luxury and it comes with a price. What happens to heroin addicts when the regular dealer go to prison ? They stop using. It's a shitty situation in every way. There is just no way you can defend a lower tax on cigaret, except maybe if you're anti government. People will choose to buy food and rent before buying cigarets. At least it will reduce their smoking habits. It's not just about funding government, it's also about discouraging people from buying cigarets. I honestly don't see any other way. Prohibiting would not work, it's a matter of game theory and a fine balance between smuggling cigarets and people buying them. And honestly the cigaret tax paid is nothing compared to other taxes.