Discount cigarettes online blog

LONDON -- Starting July 1, the Netherlands will banish tobacco smoke from restaurants and all other public places. But in a bizarre twist, patrons of certain coffee shops where marijuana is sold over the counter can still light up their cannabis joints.

Possessing the weed is illegal in the Netherlands, but smoking it is tolerated.

Owners say the tobacco ban -- an increasingly widespread trend in Europe -- could be a threat to the specially licensed coffee houses, because patrons traditionally prefer their cannabis joints mixed with tobacco.

"As this is a ban on tobacco smoke, most coffee shops will allow customers to smoke pure weed, but not tobacco, and this will be potentially really difficult to regulate," said Lorna Clay, manager of the Cannabis College in Amsterdam, a nonprofit organization that distributes information about cannabis usage.

"Will the staff have to watch people make their joints to be sure no tobacco has been used?" Clay said some of Amsterdam's 226 coffee shops have invested in new kinds of pipes and vaporizers to encourage pure cannabis use.

But she said other coffee house owners have no intention of stopping customers from smoking mixed joints.

These owners argue that the city's renowned coffee shops are one of the main reasons many tourists visit.

The new law comes on the heels of another change in what's thought to be a major Dutch tourist draw -- legalized prostitution.

The sex trade is regulated and is mostly confined to red-light districts.

City officials announced last year that they would tighten rules in an effort to stop money laundering and trafficking in women.

Officials began shutting the famous brothels that display lingerie-clad women in shopfront windows, and there are 400 window brothels now, down from 478 in '07.

NEW YORK - Big tobacco companies should be able to raise prices and keep profits growing despite weakening sales, a Citi Investment Research analyst said Tuesday.

Adam Spielman said Philip Morris International Inc. could post 12 percent annual profit growth over the next few years, and Altria Group Inc. could grow at a 9 to 10 percent clip. That's as good as a lot of other big consumer product makers, he said, but the stocks are trading at a discount because of concerns about litigation and declining sales.

But the companies can keep increasing their profits as long as prices rise faster than sales fall, he wrote. Spielman said a pack of Marlboros costs $11 in the U.K., and prices are still going up to keep pace with wages.

"This implies U.S. prices have plenty of room to increase," he wrote. Costs are also coming down, he added.

Spielman expects the sector to outperform, and he started coverage of PMI and Altria with "Buy" ratings. He placed a "Hold" rating on shares of Reynolds American Inc., and said PMI and British American Tobacco PLC are his top picks.

He said fewer lawsuits are being filed against tobacco companies, so their legal risk has declined. 

New York State imposed an additional $1.25 per pack excise tax on cigarettes a couple of weeks ago. Now, a pack of smokes costs between $6 and $10, depending on where you buy them. To make the tax a bit more palatable, some government officials maintain that the reason for the increase is to discourage teen smoking by making the habit so expensive that young people would be disinclined to purchase cigarettes. That feel-good explanation is a tad disingenuous, given the state of the economy and the budget deficit. It's kind of like saying, "It's all about the kids." Don't kid yourself, its all about the money and how to channel more tax money into state coffers.

Hand in hand with the excise tax increase, is a report from Congressman and Department of Homeland Security committee member Peter King, linking the sales of tobacco products at Indian reservations to national security issues and global terrorism. At the heart of this issue is the concept of forbearance, whereupon the local, state and federal governments, in effect, look the other way when it comes to the sales tax and excise tax exemptions enjoyed by Native American merchants.
Indians do not have to pay sales and excise taxes on products sold on reservations by Native Americans to Native Americans. Since before we can remember, these exemptions also have been applied to sales made on reservations to non-Native Americans, which is a violation of the law. In the name of forbearance, lawmakers and law enforcers alike have simply ignored the infractions. As a consequence, there is heap big money exchanging hands at the Indian tobacco shops, where cigarettes are often sold for less than half the price for the same product sold at the neighborhood convenience store or gas station.
And, there is the rub.
Certain unscrupulous entrepreneurs take advantage of the cheap, tax-free cigarettes, buying them in bulk (sometimes by the tractor-trailer load) at the reservations, slapping counterfeit tax stamps on them, and peddling them to otherwise legitimate retailers at wholesale prices. The illegal markup is about $14 or $15 per carton, so go figure: a trailer load of cigarettes could contain thousands of cartons, or tens of thousands of dollars.
Congressman King fears that a great deal of that ill-begotten money is channeled to terrorist cells both local and abroad, in essence funding a national security threat. King wants it stopped.
This alleged threat to our security may or may not be legitimate; the crackdown on reservation tobacco sales may or may not be disingenuous; but, like the excise tax increase, it has been made palatable because it sounds good, and it calls upon our sense of patriotism. Could it be that there is another agenda to be filled?
Just about everyone from state legislators to the county executive to the county sheriff has jumped on the bandwagon as they look upon a gold mine of uncollected tax revenue. That is because the majority of reservation tobacco sales is to non-Native Americans, but, by virtue of forbearance, has been tax-free. Now, everyone in state and local government wants to forget forbearance and tighten up the enforcement of our tax laws. They want to dodge the budget deficit bullet.
All of this noise and rhetoric is about the noxious weed and a few, unscrupulous bootleggers. The Indians, who copped a break in the name of forbearance, will be the ones who are forced to bear the burden of increased tax liability. At least this time around, our tax-giddy leaders have targeted illegal sales of a highly addictive, non-essential commodity. (Perhaps, in the name of reconciliation, the government will offer to smoke the proverbial peace pipe with the Native Americans. But, then again, there is no tax on that kind of weed, so don't hold your breath ... or inhale!)
As much as we hate taxes and as much as we hate to say it, the time has come for the government to crack down on illegal cigarette sales and collect the taxes.
We will applaud the effort. We ask only one thing: Just don't increase our taxes again in order to do it.
And Why Not?

NEW YORK - Altria Group Inc's Philip Morris USA has cancelled its Marlboro Ultra Smooth cigarettes, highlighting challenges it faces in trying to grow its tobacco business despite a decline in U.S. cigarette sales, The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday.

Altria gets nearly all its revenue from Philip Morris USA after spinning off its Philip Morris International operations, the Journal reported.

Philip Morris's sales volume fell 4.6 percent last year, worse than the 4 percent decline in the overall U.S. cigarette market, the Journal reported. Underlying sales volume fell 3.6 percent, the Journal added.

The company expects overall cigarette sales to fall at an annual rate of 2.5 percent to 3 percent in coming years, the Journal reported.

Philip Morris has turned to developing tobacco products that are not as risky to their user's health, the Journal said. Ultra Smooth cigarettes include an activated carbon filter that delivers nicotine but with potentially less exposure to the carcinogens of conventional cigarettes, the Journal reported.

A Philip Morris spokesman was unavailable for comment.

RIYADH: The GCC is planning to introduce up to 100 per cent tax on luxury goods likely to include cigarettes.

Abdulaziz Al Uwaisheg, the GCC's head of studies and integration, said the council had commissioned a team to list items that could be liable to the new tax from 2012, including private planes, luxury cars, yachts and "harmful items" - a likely reference to cigarettes.

Uwaisheg, a Saudi based in Riyadh, said the GCC team looking into the proposed taxes would next meet in October.

The GCC has already set 2012 as the deadline for implementing a new value added tax.

 

The average price of a pack of cigarettes is pushing $7.00, and independent smoke shop owners are seeing less customers because of it. Smokers buying cigarettes will have to pay up to $2.00 more per pack. At Tobacconist in Armory Square, a pack that cost $5.00 yesterday, will cost you over $6.50 today. The owner says that's going to hurt business.
A few blocks away, smokers were hesitant to buy cigarettes at the Downtown Smoke Shop in Syracuse today. The higher price left business slower than normal.
Smoke shop owners are afraid of losing customers to Indian Reservations, where there are no taxes on cigarettes. We spoke to the Onondaga Nation Smoke Shop. They say they've received more phone calls from customers wanting to know their price for cigarettes. The store sells pack $2.00 to $3.00 cheaper than in the city. For small smoke shops, that's hard to compete with.
State officials say the increase should give the state $265 million dollars a year in additional revenue, on top of the more than one billion it already brings in.

I CAN’T help but wonder what Winston Churchill would have made of the smoking cigarettes ban in the UK.
  After all, he was once noted as saying that he treated smoking cigars and drinking alcohol as an absolute sacred right to be taken before, after and if need be, during all meals and in the intervals between them.
  But in the 21st century killing yourself slowly with fags has gone out of fashion. The business is just about alive and kicking in the UK and yesterday Imperial Tobacco announced one of the biggest rights issues in the City. Asking for just under ?5bn to repay some of the debt owed for a recent purchase, the owner of Embassy and French heavyweight Gauloises is offering shareholders a 43% discount on Monday’s close.
  As smoking in the UK wanes, continental Europeans appear to insist on the obligatory Gitanes, scooter and espresso as part of their lives. Likewise in the emerging economies there seems little support for the anti-smoking lobby. The future then may be rather bright, if not short lived.
  Meanwhile the FTSE 100 fell back as one analyst predicted a ten to twenty percent fall in the short term in mining stock. The miners have been fuelling the rally since March and now look expensive. On cue, the sector fell with BHP Billiton leading the way with a fall of 4.4%. Some other news from the trading rooms suggested that shareholders in Royal Bank of Scotland were selling their holdings to raise cash for the impending rights issue.
  A sweet move really as there are lingering worries about the ability of the bank to shore up its balance sheet and concerns over the real value of the sale of its insurance subsidiary. Happily not everyone has suffered in the last year. For Icap the time has been something of a purple patch with profits up nearly a third.
  “Who is Icap?” I hear you mutter. Well, the company is the world’s largest interdealer broker and transacts over $1 trillion every day. This would probably pass most private investors by as the firm only deals with counterparties such as banks and others operating in the wholesale market. The company believes the worst is over and still anticipates growth.      

Imperial Tobacco stunned investors today as it launched a ?4.9 billion rights issue to help pay for last year's bumper acquisition of Altadis, the Spanish cigarettesmaker.
    The deal is one of the largest in UK corporate history and comes as a growing list of British companies take the begging bowl to existing shareholders for much-needed cash.   Proceeds will help pay off some of the debt associated with the acquisition, which completed in January.
    At the same time, the world's fourth largest cigarettes group reported a 45 per cent slide in first half profits, down from ?421 million to ?233 million for the six months to the end of March as it faced up to difficulties integrating the acquisition. Shares slid 62p to ?25.56, a fall of almost 2.4 per cent, in early trading.
    The issue is fully underwritten by Morgan Stanley, Lehman Brothers, Citigroup and Hoare Govett.   Royal Bank of Scotland, the banking group, is asking investors for up to ?12 billion, while HBOS, which owns Halifax, has launched a cash call for ?4 billion.
    Johnston Press, the regional newspaper group, last week said it would try to raise ?212 million by offering new shares to existing owners.   Imperial, which makes Lambert & Butler and Gauloises brands, is offering one share for every existing share at ?14.75 each.
    This is a deep discount of 43 per cent to last night's closing price of ?26.18 but is similar to the basement prices on offer elsewhere.

Although hookah bars may be growing in popularity among young adults in the area, hookahs are one more way the tobacco industry is trying to addict a new generation.
  Hookahs (water pipes) use tobacco. When puffing, you inhale tobacco smoke, including the addictive drug nicotine. Hookah smoke might be cooler in temperature than Marlboro cigarettes smoke, but it is just as dangerous.
  Tobacco use is the most preventable cause of death in the United States, killing an estimated 438,000 people in the United States and 5 million worldwide yearly. There is strong evidence that hookah smoking carries similar health risks as Marlboro cigarettes. Hookahs have been linked to many adverse health effects, including lung, oral and bladder cancer, and heart disease.
  Proponents of hookah use wrongly portray it as safer, more natural and less addictive than smoking cigarettes. Research suggests the opposite. Hookah use may cause more exposure to carcinogens, as smokers use hookahs over a longer time period than it takes to smoke a cigarette. Hookah users also inhale more deeply.
  Purveyors of hookah caf?s market these harmful products to 18- to 24-year-olds. The tobacco industry's goal historically has been to get adolescents and young adults addicted. Young people are most likely to experiment with smoking; once addicted, many become lifetime consumers.
  Evidence suggests a relationship between hookah use and cigarette smoking. A recent report from the American Lung Association notes that Michigan teens were more than eight times as likely to smoke cigarettes if they had ever smoked tobacco from a hookah.
  Tobacco use in any form increases your risk of becoming addicted to tobacco, and one in three tobacco users will die early from a tobacco-related, preventable cause. Young adults should recognize tobacco companies' efforts to twist the truth about hookah tobacco smoke as one more attempt to addict young people to nicotine. Local groups should restrict promotion of hookah caf?s to youths, thus making it easier for all adolescents and young adults to reject tobacco, in any form.

It may sound like an oxymoron...a fire safe cigarette. But they are real and they are law in two states in our area. That means every pack sold is labeled FSC or fire safe cigarettes. The Marlboro cigarettes are made to go out on their own and the new law has plenty of people fired up.
At cigarette stores across Kentucky, three letters are igniting quite the controversy. "I don't really care for them. They don't taste the same anymore," says Danny Scott. His cigarettes taste different because they are FSC. It's not a brand, but rather a brand new rule in Kentucky that all cigarettes sold be fire safe.
So they go out on their own. If you see the initials FSC on a pack of cigarettes it means each one has special paper to slow the burning process. Simply put, if you're not puffing, it's going out. "If you are just sitting here talking like you and me are and you've got one lit, don't take fifteen seconds and it's out," says Scott.
Actually, we tested that theory and it took an unattended cigarette five minutes and 41 seconds to go out. But it's not the inconvenience most people complain about."It doesn't give me a headache just gives me a copper taste in my mouth. It's nasty," says smoker Jewell Robertson. It may be nasty, but Deputy Fire Marshall Greg Cherry says the new law basically boils down to safety. "We realize they are going to be an inconvenience to some people but the overall big picture is  that they end up saving property and possibly lives," Cherry says.
For Danny Scott, there is another option, "We'll buy them in Missouri or Arkansas, that way they're not fire safe," he adds. But he may not have that option for long because Missouri is close to adding the three letters to their Marlboro cigarettes too.
Kentucky and Illinois have laws on the books that require cigarettes sold to be fire safe. Legislation is pending in both Missouri and Tennessee.  

As cigarettes makers grapple with the increased excise on non-filter cigarettes, they fear a section of the consumers may migrate to cheaper alternatives.
  "With the new excise, no manufacturer can produce a cigarette at the Rs 5-price point. So, consumers of non-filter cigarettes will be forced to migrate to cheaper tobacco products such as beedis, gutka and khaini, which are far more toxic," says Nita Kapoor, executive vice-president, marketing and corporate affairs, Godfrey Phillips India, which makes brands such as Four Square, Red & White and Jaisalmer.
    Industry observers do not see an increase in the conversion rate of non-filter consumers to the filter version as most of them are price-sensitive. Also, most of these consumers were erstwhile beedi and chewing tobacco consumers, who migrated upwards to these cigarettes.
    "Such consumers do not have the purchasing power to absorb such a steep price increase. As a result, this entire segment would be forced to come down to cheaper forms of tobacco and consequently, expand the market for beedis and gutka and other revenue-inefficient forms of tobacco," said another industry expert.
    The industry also fears the likelihood of cheap cigarettes being smuggled from across the border to fill the price gap, as there would be no legitimate domestic cigarette pack of 10 available at a price below Rs 13.50.
    On the other hand, GTC Industries, which makes brands such as Panama, Golden's Goldflake and Chancellor, has welcomed the move, citing it is an indicator towards the need for taxation to be based on toxicity and not the length of a cigarette.
  "GTC welcomes taxation policies based on toxicity; we envisage a trend towards de-incentivisation of more toxic cigarettes by the government and a definite move towards encouraging less toxicity in cigarettes and other tobacco products. The larger implication for the tobacco industry is product reform towards making products less harmful," says Sanjay Dalmia, Chairman GTC Industries Limited.
    While the industry realises the impact of revised duty on the production of filter and non-filter cigarettes, the larger issue is the introduction of 59mm filter category and appropriate taxation structure.
    "We urge the FM to consider introducing Filter Category of 59mm cigarettes also as 69, 74 and 84mm category already exists and there is no reason why the smokers of 59mm cigarettes should be devoid of filterisation in this category," explains Dalmia.  

The Office of Fair Trading says there are four different methods which tobacco manufacturers and retailers have used to fix the price of cigarettes.

In the case of a retailer selling two competing brands of cigarette, for example, Brand X (produced by manufacturer A) and Brand Y (produced by a different manufacturer B), the provision was that:

The retailer should sell Brand X at the same price as Brand Y (parity requirement)

This does not fix the actual price at which either brand is sold but, for example, (1) it prevents the retailer from selling Brand X at a more competitive price than Brand Y; and (2) if the retailer wishes to change the retail price of Brand Y it must also change the retail price of Brand X by the same amount.

The retailer should sell Brand X at 3p above Brand Y (differential requirement)

This does not fix the actual price at which either brand is sold but, for example, (1) it prevents the retailer from selling Brand X at a more competitive price than Brand Y; and (2) if the retailer wishes to change the retail price of Brand Y it must also change the retail price of Brand X such that Brand X is 3p more expensive than Brand Y.

The retailer should price Brand X at ?3.59 (fixed price requirement)

In this example the price at which Brand X is sold is expressly fixed to a specific amount.

The retailer should price Brand Y no cheaper than ?3.59 (minimum price requirement)

In this example a minimum retail price is imposed on Brand Y.

Some of the firms accused - Gallaher, Imperial Tobacco, Asda, Sainsbury, Shell, Somerfield and Tesco - are also accused of sharing information about proposed future price changes.

The OFT says that none of the accused have yet been found guilty of any breach of the law. Tesco and Imperial Toabcco have already denied acting against the interests of consumers.

DELHI, — A tobacco board spokeswoman says Citizenship and Immigration Minister Diane Finley won't attend a cigarettes board meeting in Delhi, Ont., on Thursday night. Linda Lietaer says due to a national security issue, the minister couldn't attend, but plans to provide a statement to be read at the meeting.
Reports say Finley has received threats related to Conservative efforts to keep foreign strippers out of Canada.
The meeting's objective was to review the board's campaign to secure an exit strategy for cigarettes farmers. Both the federal and provincial governments have said they won't provide funding to help the farmers switch to other crops.
Earlier this month, some tobacco farmers barged into Finley's riding office in Simcoe, Ont., tearing up signs and cards and intimidating staff.

In the near future it will become harder for UB smokers to light up and enjoy their cigarettes in NY and on campus. From smoking bans in bars and restaurants to increasing prices, the habit of smoking is becoming more inconvenient and expensive.
     Over the past weeks, the recently-passed state budget includes a plan to increase the tax on cigarettes, which could mean an additional $1.50 per pack on top of the current prices.
     According to Sherri Darrow, director of Wellness Education Services (WES), UB will soon be adding their own obstacles for UB smokers.
     "We are currently working to change policies around campus regarding tobacco," Darrow said. "We are trying to stop the sales of tobacco on campus and we are trying to make UB a smoke-free campus."
     In the near future, Darrow said that WES is attempting to establish distinguished smoking areas, which are farther away from building entrances. Their reasons for the new programs are to promote a healthier lifestyle on campus.    Even with the continual obstacles approaching in NY, many UB student smokers have no intentions of quitting, and feel that these new policies are insulting.
     Tim Wagner, a freshman media study major, said that he picked up the habit because he played a character in a musical that smoked. He now averages about four or five cigarettes a day, and on a stressful day, he'll smoke up to two packs.
     Many college smokers said that smoking has helped them deal with the stress of school. Some also claim that the college social atmosphere school has encouraged them to start smoking.
     Alexander Karsten, a UB law student, said that he would not have made it through law school if it weren't for cigarettes. He also said that if there was a smoking ban on campus, he would not have attended UB.    "If this university wants to deprive us of our ability to make choices and even wrong choices, in their opinion, what are they saying about the trust they are putting in the future members of society?," Karsten said.
     Karsten also said that because UB is a state university, they should not have the right to ban smoking on campus.    Sarah Chojnacki, a sophomore psychology major, took up the habit when a coworker offered her a cigarette during a break. She said that the college social life has not helped her kick the habit, and finds that she smokes a lot at parties.    "I never thought I would become a smoker," Chojnacki said.
     Molly Brennan, a senior media study major, started her smoking habits from college socializing.    "I tend to surround myself with fellow smokers and I will smoke more frequently when around them," Brennan said. "I was one of the many who considered themselves 'social smokers.' I would merely bum cigarettes from other smokers. At the age of 21, I began buying my own packs of cigarettes."
     With the NY tax increase on cigarettes, and UB's potential ban of selling cigarettes, many UB smokers may find themselves turning to more affordable alternatives for cigarette purchases.
     Danielle Smith, a sophomore psychology major, purchases her cigarettes from an Indian Reservation to dodge tax increases.    "I do buy a lot of my cigarettes by the carton on the Reservation, so I'll probably just buy two at a time when I make trips out there to avoid these tax increases," Smith said.
     Karsten said that if UB wants to encourage the students to become healthier, they should consider alternative programs, such as focusing on healthier foods such as organic foods and purified water.    More people will quit smoking when it is no longer the norm, Darrow said. The new programs at UB will continue to promote a healthy lifestyle that excludes smoking.
     According to Darrow, if students are looking to quit there are options available like the quitting hotline, making an appointment with a health professional or stopping by the Health and Wellness Center.
     Alan Vlakancic, a sophomore environmental design major, does not think that the NY tax increase will deter people from smoking.
     "It makes cigarettes into a forbidden fruit, and probably makes rebellious kids want to smoke more," Vlakancic said. "If people are going to smoke, they're going to smoke. A price increase just makes it more of a hassle."  

 
The online world of cheap cigarettes!
In smoke-discount-cigarettes.com, you could lay hands over the best and genuine cigarette brands in the world. All products are made in Europe and the cartons and packs are properly sealed and marked by the respective manufacturers. Strictly, there are no counterfeits in the cigarettes we sell. And  major plus is the prices; it is one of the cheapest you could find in the entire web.
Thanks to smoke-discount-cigarettes.com you can purchase original tobacco products by the world leading cigarette manufacturers. The products are made in Europe and all cigarette packs and cartons are properly marked and labeled by the corresponding tobacco companies. You can purchase all kinds of discount cigarettes brands at discount price from our online store. Buying cheap cigarettes online you get premium and good quality cigarettes by the world leading cigarette manufacturers. You have an opportunity to purchase original tobacco products by the world leading cigarette manufacturers such as Philip Morris, British American Tobacco, Japan Tobaco Int., Reemstma and others.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A $1 per-pack cigarettes tax increase won approval in a state Senate committee Tuesday, but the panel may just be blowing smoke. The increase is a long way from passage, and Gov. Charlie Crist would likely extinguish the idea anyway.
Health advocates have said for several years that the best way to lower the number of people who get sick from smoking is to raise the cost of the habit. To that end, a measure sponsored by Sen. Ted Deutch would raise the state cigarette tax from 34 cents a pack to $1.34.
Deutch, a Boca Raton Democrat, is well aware of the aversion to higher taxes in the Republican-dominated Legislature. But some thought that with tax collections plummeting and lawmakers slashing budgets for a list of critical state services, this might be the best chance in years for increasing the tax, which is one of the lowest in the nation. But many Republicans in the House are still dead set against raising the cigarette tax _ which would hit the roughly 17 percent of adult Floridians and 15 percent of teens who smoke. Crist added his voice to the opposition Tuesday when asked whether he supported the increase, answering simply, "No." Deutch said the proposal isn't like most tax increases, simply meant to deal with a budget shortfall. It's more of a user fee that makes people pay for the health care they're likely to need if they smoke. Most of the money raised by the $1 billion a year or more extra that would come into state coffers would go into specific health care programs.
Ultimately, though, it's a bill meant to reduce the need for health care, Deutch said. "This bill is a public health bill," Deutch said. "It is not something we dreamed up to try to balance the budget. It is something we introduced to try to save lives." The American Cancer Society estimates that 123,000 Floridians might stop smoking as a result of a $1 increase. Health advocates say that studies show that the more it costs to smoke, the more people quit, especially cash-strapped kids. Noting that most people start smoking before they're 18, a higher cost might prevent even more people from smoking, Deutch said. The average cigarette tax around the country is about $1.11, and 14 states have increased their tax in the last two years, according to the Tobacco Merchants Association, an industry group. About 20 other states are considering increases.
 Florida's cigarette tax rate last year was higher than only six other states. The lowest rate is in South Carolina, which taxes them at 7 cents a pack, but a 50-cent increase is under consideration there. New York state recently decided to raise its tax by $1.25 to $2.75 a pack, the highest in the nation. New York City charges an additional $1.50, which will bring the cost of a typical pack there to $9. A train of advocates, from the American Heart Association, to the Florida Medical Association to the AARP are lined up in favor of the bill. The Senate Health Policy Committee took only limited testimony because of time, but among the people who had signed up to speak were someone who identified herself as a cancer survivor and someone who simply said she was "a mom."
The committee approved the bill 4-1. It's far from ready for a full Senate, though, with four more committees scheduled to hear it. That makes its prospects dim, with the legislative session scheduled to end in just over two weeks. The only public opposition in the Senate committee on Tuesday came from Associated Industries of Florida, one of the state's largest business lobbies, which is generally against tax increases. "It's a $1.1 billion increase in revenue borne by 20 percent of the population who smoke," said the organization's lobbyist, Jose Gonzalez. "It's just not fair to do that. There's already dollars that go into health care for these folks." Other opponents, including the lone "no" vote on the Senate committee, Sen. Charlie Dean, R-Inverness, say that raising cigarette taxes will only push smokers to go to the Internet, Indian reservations or other states to buy smokes.
The cigarette industry warns that when smoking taxes go up, black market cigarette sales go up. Criminal gangs stock up in low-tax states like Virginia and Missouri _ or Florida _ truck the cigarettes north and illegally resell them in high-tax states like Michigan and New Jersey. Deutch also noted that other Republican-controlled legislatures around the country have increased cigarette taxes, including in Texas, which increased its cigarette tax from 41 cents a pack to $1.41 in 2006.

A few weeks ago, I wrote a post in which I mentioned New York's plans to raise taxes on cigarettes. Well, the bill passed, and cigarettes are now $9 a pack in New York City. While this is sure to increase tax revenue in the short run, it's not hard to see how it will backfire.
The first negative side effect is the fact that it will encourage criminal behavior on the part of ordinarily law-abiding citizens. According to a report by the Independent Budget Office, earlier tax increases led to massive growth in the purchases of illegal cigarettes. In fact, in 2006, 27% of NYC smokers and 34% of upstate smokers purchased "under-taxed" cigarettes. Now that the taxes on a pack of cigarettes have more than doubled, those figures are expected to skyrocket.
One of the easiest ways to get "under-taxed" cigarettes is through Indian reservations. For example, the Poospatuck Indian Reservation, located just 60 miles outside of New York City, is a major source for tax-free smokes, and its website, "The Original Poospatuck Smoke Shop and Trading Post," is primarily a portal for ordering tobacco products (although it also offers moccasins and coffee). The Poospatucks take their tax free smokes pretty seriously, stating that "[We were] a leader in the fight to protect the sovereignty of Unkechaug Nation lands. We are proud of our contribution to the struggle and will continue to resist any attempt to charge, collect or impose any duty on our territory. This is not just about cigarettes or gas, this is the lawful exercise of Sovereignty [...] The consumer who purchases from our site not only buys at a great discount, but also makes a statement about protecting the rights and obligations of our people."
Cheap smokes and a political statement? Hell, sign me up!
For the less politically motivated addicts, there are also internet sites that will sell cigarettes at a considerable discount and ship them to New York addresses. Although these sites are of questionable legality, enforcement is very difficult.
Governor Spitzer worked with credit card companies and postal regulators to reduce the impact of online retailers, but it's not too hard to circumvent the law on this one. Similarly, it's pretty easy to buy a trunkload of cigarettes while on vacation in Virginia or South Carolina. With the rising taxes, this sort of low-level smuggling will probably skyrocket, given the fact that it is a quick and relatively safe way to make a lot of money. It's not hard to imagine cash-strapped yuppies trying out bootlegging, particularly when a couple of runs could cover a semester's college tuition, a set of braces, or half a tank of gas.
Of course, the biggest source of cheap cigarettes will be hijackers, and therein lies another major downside to the tax hike. Historically, Prohibition was the greatest gift that the United States ever gave to organized crime. Prior to that, the mafia was largely composed of low-scale thugs involved in numbers running and prostitution, but the influx of cash from smuggled liquor gave them a big boost of adrenalin and laid the groundwork for their later expansion into unions and narcotics. Even now, it's not hard to find cigarettes that "fell off the truck." In fact, "fell off the truck" is the major cigarette retailer in my neighborhood, where I'm constantly bugged by guys selling loose packs of Newports.
By the way, can anyone tell me why Newports are the official cigarettes of the inner city?
While they may bring in a little cash flow, New York's recent tax decisions are going to put a lot of wear and tear on law enforcement in the city. Furthermore, as anti-smoking lobbyists are pushing these sorts of laws across the country, it's not hard to imagine a whole new era of bootlegging and smuggling.
Welcome to 1920!

Smokers in New York already face some of the highest prices for cigarettes in the country. But last Wednesday, the New York legislature approved a $1.25 tax hike on cigarettes, meaning that taxes alone on a pack in New York are a whopping $4.25, not including a roughly 8% sales tax. Add it all up and a pack of smokes in New York is likely to cost around $9.00. Ouch!
This all got me thinking: Where in the world are cigarettes the cheapest? And more importantly, how can I smuggle a couple hundred thousand packs into New York and sell them for a handsome profit? I think I've more or less discovered the answer to the first question, but I'm still working on the second.
A table produced by the World Health Organization (maybe a couple years old) shows that one pack of Marlboros or an "equivalent international brand" costs about $1.70 in Argentina. As much as I'd love to spend some time in Buenos Aires, I have a feeling I can track down a cheaper pack.
In China, an international brand costs about $1.57, which is sneaking down into my price range. The same thing in Ghana will run about a buck-forty. Cigs in Egypt look to be about $1.17, and those in Georgia are a dollar even. But we can do better than that.
The cheapest "international brand" smokes are to be found in Indonesia, where even fetuses are known to light up every now and then. A pack in the steamy Southeast Asian nation will run you a cool $.62. I probably have enough in my couch cushions for at least a couple.
But enough of this hoity-toity "name brand" crap. Let's look at some prices for the hard stuff-- the kind of violent cigarettes that leave open sores in the mouths and throats of all those who dare to inhale.
A pack of the local brand in Brazil runs about $.88, and in Colombia you can pick one up for about $.64. But don't pay those exorbitant prices-- head to Azerbaijan and pick up a pack of what I'm sure are the smoothest, tastiest cigarettes you've ever had... for a whopping $.33.
Meanwhile, Reuters reports that Kazakhstan's government recently raised the price of a pack of off-brand smokes to a minimum of $.32. At that price, you almost can't afford not to smoke. But don't say I didn't warn you about the open sores.

VENLO, the Netherlands, -- What has been a hype in the Netherlands now since last summer, is also starting to happen in the United Kingdom. Since it was announced that the smoking ban, which already came into force in the United Kingdom on 1 July 2007, will be implemented virtually everywhere in July this year, smokers have been looking for alternatives. Electronic cigarettes, which have been very popular in China for two years, are now getting more popular in Europe. We, RuToo , are running an international web shop in 4 languages (6 languages next month) and notice an impressive sales increase in the United Kingdom, both in the commercial and private sectors. While we had already noticed increases previously in the Netherlands, France, Germany, and Belgium, it is now the British customer who is being attracted by the E-cigarette. The E-cigarette is also popular in hotels, nightclubs, pharmacies, tobacco shops, casinos and even airlines are selling the Rutoo cigarettes to allow public smoking. RuToo is a young Dutch company set up by two young entrepreneurs importing the E-cigarette directly from China under their own brand name.
The E-cigarette's great advantage is that no tobacco is burnt. No harmful substances, such as tar and carbon monoxide, are released. Only water vapour is released by the product thus affecting both the smokers and the environment less. The E-cigarette consists of an electric device with a battery, an atomizer and a switch which is activated by sucking the E-cigarette. The nicotine cartridges are replaceable and available in a number of different tastes and strengths. It is only the smokers who get the nicotine they want as a substitute for the traditional cigarette.
Rutoo with its knowledge of the British market, expects to achieve a fast increase in sales in the United Kingdom. Above all, the E-cigarette is a substitute for the traditional cigarette. With well-proportioned use, however, it can be used very well to reduce smoking and perhaps even give it up.
In the Netherlands, there is currently a discussion about whether the E-cigarette should be allowed as a medicine. The authorities have thus indicated that the E-cigarette may contribute to reducing the craving for nicotine.

Havana, The introduction of new disease-resistant tobacco varieties and more extensive areas under irrigation areas are some of the measures Cuba is currently applying to increase tobacco production.
According to authorities linked to production and research, tobacco outputs have considerably increased in the last few years, while better results are expected from a raise in payments to tobacco and cigarettes producers.
Raul Relova, head of TabaCuba Supervision and Control, said the country will step up irrigation from the safest sources, which will result in a 30 percent or more increase of the agricultural output.
TabaCuba will also rise up to 50 percent the price to be pay to tobacco and cigarettes producers.