Puff on This Smokers
April 2009 -- Puff on this, smokers! The federal tax on cigarettes on April 1 went up 60 cents, bringing the federal tax to $1.01 - on top of the regular price of a pack of smokes.
And you can expect state taxes on those cancer sticks to keep climbing, too. The state of Florida, for example, is considering a plan that would add one more dollar to the cost of a pack. This is a bad economy, and all government tax collectors are looking for any way to bring in more money. Several other states right now are looking at new ways to add more taxes to the bad habit of smoking cigarettes. The state of New York has the highest state cigarette tax in the nation, increasing its state excise tax per pack from $1.25 to $2.75 per pack last year.
If lung disease doesn't scare you, how about filling your ashtray with even more dollar bills this year? Non-smokers won't just think you smell bad and are too ignorant to take care of your own health. Now they'll think, 'What an idiot, spending that much money on something that will kill you!' I'm a former smoker, thank you. I was addicted to booze and overeating, too. And giving up cigarettes was tougher than saying no to liquor and fast food. I went from a lot of cigarettes a day to a few cigarettes a day to one or two.
Who was I fooling? You don't quit until you're smoking zero cigarettes a day. Yes, it's tough, but yes, you can do it. This jump in the federal tax on cigarettes will just inspire your state governments to keep tacking on new taxes for a bigger local cut of your cigarette money. You won't find anyone lobbying against it, either. The non-smokers know too much now about the dangers of second-hand smoke and even third-hand smoke. So don't be dumb and broke. Just quit. I did. And if you know someone who smokes, forward this article.
About the author: Linda Joy Allan of Santa Barbara, Calif., is the author of the book, "I Quit! Cigarettes, Candy Bars & Booze," which has been described as a "courageous account, ultimately victorious," of Allan's personal journey to overcome three addictions. Dr. Laura Schlessinger, author of the book "Stop Whining, Start Living," has said Allan's book "will motivate and inspire."
For more information about the book, "I Quit! Cigarettes, Candy Bars & Booze," contact Linda Joy Allan at (805) 705-4784 or by e-mail at LindaJoyAllan@aol.com.