Paying the Price for Smoking
The D.C. Council decided on Tuesday that in order to make up for a $35 million budget shortfall they would increase the tax on cigarettes by $1, bringing it up to $2/pack. That will put us in a tie with Arizona, Alaska, Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, and Michigan for one of the highest “state” tax rates on cigarettes. Oh right, we’re not a state. We just pay an exorbitant amount of taxes. How easily I forget such silly things.
So what is the Council’s message here? My only guess is this:
- People who smoke are evil. It’s a disgusting habit that’s bad for your health. Maybe if we charge you an extra dollar per pack of those devil sticks, you’ll quit smoking and live a healthy lifestyle like the rest of us. Maybe you’ll even start participating in triathlons like our super healthy mayor does. Die smokers, die!
Of course I could be missing something. I think they should also put a tax on ice cream, donuts, frappacinos with extra whipped cream, pizza, cheeseburgers, chili dogs, chili cheese fries, fettuccine alfredo, and mac ‘n cheese. If you eat enough of those things, you’ll die over time too.
[…] Washington D.C. Metblogs wrote an interesting post today on Paying the Price for SmokingHere’s a quick excerpt The D.C. Council decided on Tuesday that in order to make up for a $35 million budget shortfall they would increase the tax on cigarettes by $1, bringing it up to $2/pack. That will put us in a tie with Arizona, Alaska, Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, and Michigan for one of the highest “state” tax rates on cigarettes. Oh right, we’re not a state. We just pay an exorbitant amount of taxes. How easily I forget such silly things. So what is the Council’s message here? My only guess is this: Peop […]
So you would be double taxed, because you eat all that shit too. Imagine if they taxed Olive Garden!
There should totally be an Olive Garden Tax! And those damn unhealthy bread sticks should no longer be free.
Your income tax should be based on how healthy you are too, so if you run/ride/walk 10 miles a day you pay nothing, but if you sit on the couch, eat Cheeto’s, and drink PBR then you should be subjected to a 50% tax rate because you are a disgrace to society.
/sarcasm
Given that 400,000 people die each year in the US from smoking-related ailments ()1) and an estimated cost of $161B (2) per year…I’d say the tax isn’t entirely unwarranted.
Interestingly enough, you might be on to something in terms of taxing unhealthy food, as the cost of obesity per year is approximately $117B (3) Perhaps the best place to tax this is at the fast-food level? Tack on a 2% tax for fast food and put it into state medicaid and medicare coffers?
I mean, gluttony’s a sin, too, right?
Absolutely. I’m all for a fast food tax and a tax on bullets as well. There should be a tax added on to the sale of Crocs too because they cause bleeding of the eyes.
For the creepy-ass day-glo clogs? Yes, yes yes.
I love their thong-sandals though, super comfy in the summertime.
It doesn’t matter if you love their sandals, you will be taxed. Oh wait, but only if you buy them in DC. If you buy them in VA just make sure you only wear them in VA.
This tax would make more sense if it were going into health care coffers, but just to make up the shortfall in the budget? How about reducing costs in city government? How about having a luxury tax on high-priced hookers brought in from other states? Can we do that instead?
[…] I’m not really a proponent of fast food intake on a regular basis (and am all for a fast food tax), I do love me some Taco […]