Just a little thing
Key Keith, I know this is just a little thing but it needs a response. I mentioned the cost of cigarettes and liquor and you more or less said "fine". I don't really pay $56.00 for a carton for cigarettes. They are $33.00 a carton at the PX, even better they cost $24.00 a carton if you buy them from Indians over the internet. The net result, many people spend less time at local stores, pay no state tax at all and continue to "sin".
May have mentioned this before but I'll do her again. If you walk into a local police station and light up a join, first offense, the penalty is $85.00 and off you go. Marijuana is still illegal. If you walk into that same police department and light up a legal cigarette the fine is $250.00.
The simple answer to this insanity is, government can not control the traffic or use of illegal drugs. Thus, in an effort to make themselves look good they increase the penalty and cost of legal drugs to show "the people" that they are doing Something.
If you don't want to smoke or drink that's great. But constantly increasing the price of smokes, booze And gas tax schemes that mainly hit middle and low income citizens is not the answer. Making what was always a legal act more illegal than a purely illegal act is nonsense.
25% of Americans smoke. So the majority rules. But when the majority has fun screwing over the minority it's not always a good thing. You'll understand what I mean when Church's are taxed like corporations.
Stay healthy,
Andy
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