The Blue Board

Sorry, I saw in the news today that sales of tobacco have dropped off a lot due to taxes.

Marlboro lights are about 15 bones in NYC at the moment. It's absurd. That said, it's working. Far fewer people are smoking in the city now.

Smoking, seatbelts, helmets all fall under same category. If you wanna be an idiot and smoke or drive without seatbelts then I see no reason to legislate it. I'd also refuse insurance companies from having to pay medical treatment for lung cancer patients who have smoked more than 7+ years of their life. While I'm at it, I'd let insurance companies off the hook for diabetic treatment for those that are obese without obvious issues causing it other than being a lazy, fat piece of sh*t.

They don't tax on cigarettes they tax other places. Government needs money, complaining about every little tax is probably a America has such a massive budget deficit.

It's why they tax that pisses me off. It's not their job to tell me what is healthy and not healthy.

That or the mass overspending by the government for the last 65 years.

Lol obviously overspending has a lot to do with it. But America's tax rates are extremely low. If they taxed a comparable amount to other countries, the deficit might not be so high.

Seat belts in no way should be mandatory to wear.

I can agree with that. Before smoking laws were passed in Georgia, I wouldn't go into an establishment where smoking was allowed. I'd spend my money elsewhere. I didn't care if the governement ever did anything about it or not though.

This is just going to lead into a discussion that will head nowhere. As a Canadian I couldn't agree more that you guys spend money on dumb things.

Other countries tax rates are compiled much different than ours. Our corporate tax can be up to 39% while almost all the other countries cap at 35%

Ordinary citizens here pay roughly 0-39% federal and 0-12% state.

The UK is the highest individual rate at 50% but that takes into account the additional 12% they get hit with for that "free" health care system.

Canada's debt is what? 600 Billion? That's pretty decent. Luckily you guys live at the doorstep of the worlds greatest superpower and reep the comfort and security it provides. Otherwise you'd have to spend more military money. We should be taxing you biotches for that.