Hi all.
Awful news for smokers. It is possible that most of them should quit. The article is below. My smoking friends said that it is one of the saddest days.
Federal taxes kick in on April 1 and smokers who roll their own cigarettes will notice the biggest increase: about $23 per pound.
And that has the people pretty fired up.
Friday, the federal tax alone on loose tobacco is $1.10 per pound.
Daniel Spaniola is the manager at Paul’s Pipe Shop in downtown Flint. He says he feels the tax will be bad for business.
“That’s just not even feasible or believable,” he said.
Lisa Nichols started thinking about quitting when the state tax on cigarettes increased to $2 a pack.
“It’s about $10 a carton to roll your own now. It’s going to be $25 a carton now. I can’t afford that,” she said.
All tobacco products will see some sort of increase. You’ll pay 62 cents more per pack of cigarettes, nearly $1 more for a pack of little cigars and pipe tobacco will increase to $1.73 a pound.
The money raised will help provide health insurance for low-income children.
Nichols says she’s quitting smoking.
“I have to,” she said. “I can’t afford it.”
Wednesday the state started offering free cessation products to anyone who calls its quit line and enrolls.
The problem is, so many people have called that it’s hard to get through. Margaret Eaton tried.
“It just keeps kicking you out,” she said.
A new alternate number has now been added. The number is 1-800-480-7848. You can also call 1-800-QUIT-NOW. You’re encouraged to keep trying and calling both numbers you see on your screen.
The recorded message on the line says that if you wait for more than three minutes, your call will be disconnected.
Just like the other number, you will get kicked off the line if your wait exceeds three minutes.
Here’s an idea of just how busy the hotline has been: State officials say they normally get about 30 phone calls every 15 minutes.
Thursday, operators received 21,000 calls. That’s more than they usually get in one month.
Gov. Jennifer Granholm has also proposed doubling the state tax on loose tobacco, cigars and snuff as a way to help bring money in.
