Thread: NYC sues roll-your-own cigarette shops over taxes

Somewhat similar to the governments stance on all drugs, it's not about health, If they could monopolize the supply and profit off their use they would be legal in the bat of an eye.

Originally Posted by radcen

Hence my disclaimer. The way they persecute... yes, I meant persecute, not prosecute... tobacco users, one would think they'd simply outlaw it altogether. Isn't that what they really want? In a way, I wish they'd stop the charade. But, yes, I know that prohibition doesn't really work.



Yep. Part of me wonders why they don't make tobacco use illegal as it would add to their version of a police state.

Banning cigs wouldn't work on a state level and many states do not charge an arm and a leg for a carton of smokes.If they outlawed tobacco in New York smokers would simply go out of state to buy their smokes and the New York city Mayor would be trying to sue smoke shops and convenience stores on the border and tribal smoke shops just like he he sues gun shops around the country to push his anti-2nd amendment agenda.

Originally Posted by 1Perry

Just curious as I don't know but I suppose I could look it up. All the crap added to cigarettes isn't added to bulk tobacco is it?

I have a friend who owns a tobacco shop. He tells me that pipe tobacco is taxed differently than cigarette tobacco. It's far cheaper. That's why all the bulk bags of tobacco in such shops is labeled as pipe tobacco. The tobacco tubes for rolling are relatively inexpensive. As long as the customers roll them at home there is no problem. If the shop has its own rolling machines, prices/taxes go up considerably. According to him (and the package labeling), the bulk pipe tobacco contains no additives.

Clearly, this is about closing a tax loophole. Why should pipe smokers pay less than cigarette smokers? Why should ready made coffin nails cost more than make them yourself ones?

As for outlawing tobacco, good luck. So far, none of the laws against other drugs have proven enforceable.

Now, if we were to tax recreational drugs according to the damage they do to health, then tobacco cigarettes would more costly than other kinds, wouldn't they?

Ya just gotta love the ban the cigarettes and legalize the weed crowd....

Originally Posted by 1Perry

Just curious as I don't know but I suppose I could look it up. All the crap added to cigarettes isn't added to bulk tobacco is it?

As far as I know this is correct. But thats just what I've been told. I've never actually verified it myself. I do know that there is at least one added ingrediant that is in regular cigarettes vs roll your owns. But that's in the paper itself. If you look at some cheap generic cigarettes you'll notice lines in the paper. Those lines are normally caused by the ingredient that is used to help keep the cigarette burning so that you don't have to re-light it. With roll your owns you have to almost constantly re-light your cigarettes. The only time you don't is if you take a drag off of it every 20-30 secs.

Originally Posted by Kal'Stang

As far as I know this is correct. But thats just what I've been told. I've never actually verified it myself. I do know that there is at least one added ingrediant that is in regular cigarettes vs roll your owns. But that's in the paper itself. If you look at some cheap generic cigarettes you'll notice lines in the paper. Those lines are normally caused by the ingredient that is used to help keep the cigarette burning so that you don't have to re-light it. With roll your owns you have to almost constantly re-light your cigarettes. The only time you don't is if you take a drag off of it every 20-30 secs.

I've never thought about it much, but it makes sense. Pipe smokers are almost always re-lighting.

Originally Posted by radcen

I've never thought about it much, but it makes sense. Pipe smokers are almost always re-lighting.

Aha! So, that's why pipe smokers pay less in taxes. It's a plot by the makers of matches and lighters.

The Great Zippo Conspiracy!

Irrelevant side note: (Some) Pipe tobacco smells really good.

Originally Posted by Tashah

I have a friend who owns a tobacco shop. He tells me that pipe tobacco is taxed differently than cigarette tobacco. It's far cheaper. That's why all the bulk bags of tobacco in such shops is labeled as pipe tobacco. The tobacco tubes for rolling are relatively inexpensive. As long as the customers roll them at home there is no problem. If the shop has its own rolling machines, prices/taxes go up considerably. According to him (and the package labeling), the bulk pipe tobacco contains no additives.

Cool thanks, so IMO if this was really a health issue the state would encourage this type of thing as opposed to try and tax it more. I'm sure that one can show where any sort of smoke is bad for you but it couldn't be anywhere near as bad as the cigs with the crap added to them.