More calling WA quit smoking hotline after $1 cigarette tax

hobbit said on May 6, 2010 at 8:13 PM

clear2copy,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,you are probably one of many do gooders, who get stinking drunk every weekend, then go ask god for forgiveness.

stryker said on May 6, 2010 at 7:14 AM

I quit when it hit $2 a pack. Nasty habit. Glad I stopped!!!

dakotanative said on May 5, 2010 at 8:54 PM

Maybe we just need to figure out the taxes we already have. If I buy a 99 cent bag of chips at Jackson Shell on Tacoma Mall Blvd, I pay $1.08. If I go down the road to 76 in DuPont, I pay 99 cents. If I buy it at 7-11 at 8AM, I pay tax, but not if I buy it at 11PM. Now on to smokes. I guess it costs 7 bucks more if you buy your smokes at the casino at different times too. We just need to make a base tax for everything that is sold. Say 20%. Gas, smokes or shells and cheese. Charge the same tax. Myabe you don't drive so you don't want to pay for highways. I don't ride the ferry, so I don't want to pay taxes for that. You don't have kikds in school? I don't ride the city bus. Well, actually I did yesterday for the first time in 15 years, and that is a story I will save for another day. Income tax will always leave room for loopholes. A tax that charges for anything you buy makes it fair.

clear2copy said on May 5, 2010 at 8:28 PM

tomma..it's "you're"...and yes.. I AM better because I'm not a filthy addict..stinking of cancerous death..endangering those around me with 2nd hand smoke..that is a PROVEN hazard. yes, I'm better because I don't have to stop every hour to dose myself with dangerous drugs like you smokers do. Don't get mad at me because I point out that YOU are the hazard, the danger and the filthy nuisance..

tomma206 said on May 5, 2010 at 7:46 PM

@CLEAR2COPY.The states tax and spend habits are worse than any other habit out there.Just look at how out of control they are.More more more gimme gimme gimme.Oh and lose that idea that your better because you dont smoke.

hobbit said on May 5, 2010 at 4:28 PM

Why don't they raise tax's on fast food, so when that OBESE person who raises my health care cost, will stop eating sooo much and eat healthier? Why don't they raise taxes on a bottle of booze, oh say 50 bucks for a pint so that drunk, who also raises my health care cost, causes deaths, raises auto insurance, they might stop drinking with a high tax hikes. Oh wait, state runs booze stores!!!!!!!!!!! I am a smoker, will always smoke. If i have to grow my own, roll my own, than thats what i will do.

anonymoususer said on May 5, 2010 at 2:41 PM

Apparently there are some who do not realize the tax will also be increased on soda, added to candy and bottled water, and will also increase taxes on some businesses. As long as smokers hang their cigarettes out of the car window forcing me to breathe the stench they do not want to breathe and as long as fires started by smokers throwing lit cigarettes out of the car windows, the tax should remain high. The $1.00 a pack increase added as a revenue source was stupid, moronic, and shows the fools in olympia can no longer represent their constituency - at least the socialists that voted their party line with no thought about the people they were elected to represent

anonymoususer said on May 5, 2010 at 2:29 PM

The difference between a coffee habit and a smoking habit - the coffee drinker doesn't hold his cup out of the car window because they do not want to breathe the stench - smokers have no problem forcing others to breathe what they do not want to breathe. A $5,000. fine for holding a lit cigarette out of a car window and a $50,000. fine for throwing the lit cigarette out of the car window will either earn $$$ for the state or will have many non-smokers breathing a lot cleaner air while stuck in traffic. Either result benefits society.

anonymoususer said on May 5, 2010 at 2:25 PM

rigid - tobacco is VERY EASY to grow and it is LEGAL to grow your own tobacco - and even to sell the live plants. You just cannot sell the dried leaves. seedrack.com has tobacco seeds for sale and also has information on growing / processing your own. Many people will soon have plants for sale and I suspect they will be available at some farmers markets as well.

anonymoususer said on May 5, 2010 at 2:17 PM

Tobacco plants for sale - $10.00 a plant w/ instructions hw to grow and process. If you wish to start your own, seeds are available online at a number of places and those sellers include growing information too. it is LEGAL to grow and process your own tobacco - as long as you do not sell the processed product

anonymoususer said on May 5, 2010 at 2:14 PM

So was the tax increase to raise money as they claimed when they added it to the budget - or was it added as a pretense to force people to quit smoking??? Now what are they going to add the tax on to make up for their idiotic blunder? I know - they can charge $5.00 parking at state parks and raise $$$ that way --- oops, they already tried it and instead of raising billions of $$$ as predicted, people stopped going to the state parks and it cost the state more than they brought in. I know, they are going to use this boondoggle to force a state income tax on the people. The fools in olympia should have just raised the sales tax across the board and let everyone pay instead of singling out people / groups to pay. All this will do is force washington businesses to close losing more jobs (IE: brown and haley, aplets and cotlets, theo chocolate, other washington candy companies) and will also have other (ab)use it to gain support for a state income tax which can be avoided

dakotanative said on May 5, 2010 at 1:51 PM

This is no different than the gas tax. They preach better mileage and more carpooling, but then cry when the taxes start dropping because people did what they were told. I started smoking when it was .30 a pack, and said I would quit when it reached a dollar a pack. I think it was just over 3 bucks when I finally did quit. A buck isn't going to help people quit.

tacwilster said on May 5, 2010 at 10:48 AM

This is good news, now that more people are quiting the state will need to find another way to raise taxes to pay for their all their needs and the tax will be more general, and it will most likely be anohter gas tax hike, hahaha even non-smokers will have to pay that!!

thecrankster said on May 5, 2010 at 7:13 AM

I also went up to Skagit casino I think I paid around 45 bucks a carton for Marlboro Thanks Christine for raising taxes so much I was forced to look for alternatives to high prices now I'm saving big dollars and not paying any state tax haha. I will say that even at 45 dollars a carton I smoke way less then I did a few years ago maybe about 6 or 7 smokes a day and I think the combination of high prices and lack of places to smoke has helped.

3jrts said on May 5, 2010 at 7:12 AM

To cleartocopy and carlconstantine - so you are both perfect? How about when you "let wind"? sounds like it is coming out the wrong end.

speedracer said on May 5, 2010 at 6:10 AM

stopped at skagit casino and paid 37.50 for camel light's yesyerday.Thats $3.75 a pack...hows that working out for you TROLL...King5 you now need to investigate the governor and her spending of our money...

mango said on May 5, 2010 at 12:32 AM

Thank a smoker...if no one smoke where would the thieves in Olympia get that extra cash. If smoking is so bad, ban smoking all together.

hourforum said on May 4, 2010 at 9:50 PM

Here is one idea Washington state pay close attention. Raise taxes on smokes to 50.00 and shut up. Raise taxes on gasoline to 40.00 per gallon and shut up. Raise taxes for home owners, for each 12,000 of value, raise that tax to somewhere let's say to 400.00. Raise taxes on older cars.. let's see, a 1983 buick should be worth somewhere about 300.00 per year in taxes. WOW, think of the change the state will get! Raise a dollar here, raise a dollar there. wait another six months or so taxe's will go up again. now, people wonder why washington state is not that business friendly? They might swindle a company to move here- but the employee's look out.. they will get taxed BIG. If washington state raised the taxes like " WAAM" and shut up, maybe we all can be broke- then suddenly there is no more money to pay the state.. then, we move. Sounds about right.

poeticone_989843 said on May 4, 2010 at 9:29 PM

to clear2copy So smokers are drug addicts ok yeah its a drug but let me guess you have never had a soda, drank coffee? Well caffine is a drug also so lets go ahead and toss those ppl away. Smoking is a choice that everyone is free to make and if you choose not to then good for you. People ask why I smoke and it is cause Im addicted but I have tried to quit many times even using the Quit Line and it didnt work. But I have never heard someone be so judgemental to anyone. As for this stupid tax why is it that smokers have to make up a majority of the debt because the state doesnt know how to spend money, and the price when up more the $1 cause u add a buck tax price goes up and the amount of sales tax goes up. isnt double taxation against the law. If they wanna charge me $1 more on smokes fine, but make it fair and find something to charge the non smokers the same amount!

hourforum said on May 4, 2010 at 9:24 PM

Ok- now that the state has once again raised taxes on smokers- lets raise tax on bubble gum, on car insurance, charge a tax to mow your lawn, charge a tax for candy, charge a big tax for those who spend more money than they make. OLA! cha ching! The state has once again said " we do not want smokers- but we want their money lot's of it". This new tax law is not fair- when you compare it to other taxes. It is much MUCH higher. People are going to start weekly or monthly trips to Oregon and Idaho and buy their smokes there, with less tax. In the end, Washington will loose out. The tax fund was to be going toward education- but to date not one dollar has been sent to schools. This is a crock, and simply is not going to work. Raise taxes on smokers- why not raise taxes for mowing your lawn. That seems more reasonable as more people mow their lawn's than there are smokers in this state.

wittyname said on May 4, 2010 at 9:23 PM

I wonder if as children, politicians said to themselves that when they grow they want to be the scum of the earth.

clear2copy said on May 4, 2010 at 8:14 PM

When will smokers be treated like the drug addicts they are instead of a socially acceptable nuisance?.. People with this addiction shouldn't be allowed to hold any position of responsibility, authority or trust..just like we weed out other drug users.. smokers need to be weeded out. hmm..no pun intended

rigidprinciples said on May 4, 2010 at 8:01 PM

It's almost to the point where it would be better to grow your own tobacco. It's not as easy to grow as marijuana, but it can be done. Then just grow for yourself and your friends, and not have to pay the government any taxes :)

batti4 said on May 4, 2010 at 7:45 PM

Smoking is a personal choice and the government has NO right to say what a person can or can't do, legally of course. Under 18? That makes tobacco an illegal substance! Give the kiddo consequences until they ARE legal to smoke and quit punishing the adults who choose that lifestyle! The government needs more money? Cut the $200 haircuts! GO TO SUPERCUTS LIKE THE REST OF US!!!! Why is it the smokers have to pay out the nose everytime they feel they need more money? They (smokers) already have to stand out in the elements to smoke because of the government! NOW they have to pay more too! Discrimination sure comes to mind!

carlconstantine said on May 4, 2010 at 7:39 PM

Cigarettes should be FREE! Anybody smokes cigarettes are clearly in need of a mental health evaluation because of the following... (1) Cigarettes cause cancer and lung disease. (2) They STINK! (3) You could burn to death from smoking in bed. What more do you need? Anybody that can get past the first two reasons should be given cigarettes for free like addicts are given free Methadone. Hah! Hah! Hah!

akire said on May 4, 2010 at 6:45 PM

More people will quit and it safes money on health care. Sure but wait until they tax us just for breathing air in. Taxes go up on other things more and more after people stop buying less cigarettes.

akire said on May 4, 2010 at 6:41 PM

I remember when you where able to buy a carton no brand name cigarettes at the military commissary. for $3.00. I quit smoking 2 years ago. Sometimes I wish I had a cigarette but the only thing so far that keeped me from smoking again is the price.

chinarob1 said on May 4, 2010 at 6:36 PM

"Raising tobacco prices is the most effective way to reduce smoking," said Secretary of Health Mary Selecky. This is the only reason the tobacco tax was increased. Not to raise revenue for the state (so they don't say, or did they?), but to save lives from the addicting affects and health concerns related to tobacco. If you believe that I have a bridge you can buy in Arizona. Oh wait...we are boycotting Arizona. Is it because of the recent immigration law, or is it because illegal immigrants are buying tobacco? No, Washington state would not boycott anyone buying tobacco because there's no revenue. So the best thing to do is to raise taxes!! More, more, more taxes!! But I ask...When is the end Washington? Ten dollar, twelve dollar, fifteen dollar, twenty dollar per pack? I see a black market for tobacco soon.

milleramerican85 said on May 4, 2010 at 6:11 PM

Burning the candle from both ends! Let's jack the tax on cigs so high that people quit and reduce the revenue the state needs. Simply stupid! Not to mention that by raising the tax not only are we taxing a small segment of society (which is unfair) there will now be an even smaller base to draw upon.

angelainbothell said on May 4, 2010 at 5:16 PM

So, let's follow the logic here: Gov't wants to reduce the amount of smoking, so they hike the tax until people can't afford it. Then they raise taxes on businesses until the businesses can't afford to stay in business. Clearly, our government WANTS to reduce the number of businesses in this state. Also, don't we allegedly fund SCHIP through cigarette taxes? What happens if people stop smoking? What will happen to the children whose medical care is paid through SCHIP?

javajoe said on May 4, 2010 at 5:11 PM

Well there you have it; the moral of the story "taxes will kill you before cigarettes ever do".

kbbcoop said on May 4, 2010 at 5:03 PM

Whats Gov Gargoyle going to do when so many quit revenue actually falls? Hmmm....what an idiot. Does she think she can keep adding a dollar to smokes? A few years ago they were like 3 dollar a pack, not they are over 8 bucks! Thats ridiculous. I think the cigarette companies are going to have to lower THEIR prices if they plan on keeping everyone addicted.

breng2004 said on May 4, 2010 at 4:28 PM

Cannot believe King 5 did a story on this subject. The reason, you interviewed kids underage,17. I thought oyu had to be 18 to smoke in this state. Why is King 5 interviewing kids about the cigarette tax. This is crazy! I hop etha tno under age kids think its cool to smoke now that King 5 interviewed these kids.Showed them smoking,and asked theire opinion. I mean comeon.... Get a CLue!