March 27
South Carolina Taxes Smokers Also
Apparently it seems fitting that smokers, who tend to drive up health care costs for everyone else, are having to pay the price for their habit. South Carolina is looking to use a similar tactic to Florida by increasing taxes on tobacco products in order to help fund public health care programs. In Florida, the increase is funding the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, otherwise known as SCHIP. In South Carolina, the taxes will be used to fund a program which would provide coverage for low income workers in the state. The purpose of the tax is two fold. It is meant not only to raise revenue for providing health insurance to those who cannot afford it, but it is also intended to discourage smoking. However, some are afraid that smokers will make the trip to bordering states such as North Carolina and Georgia in order to get their fix at a lower price. Will the tax cause a loss in revenue among tobacco retailers when smokers decide to quit or to go elsewhere for cigarettes? Or will people just adapt to the higher price? And will other states join in on this trend of taxing smoking to pay for health care?
I think other states will join in and start taxing cigarettes more heavily. It’s a solid way to raise funds and good for politics as well. No one really complains about taxing smokers except the smokers. And when its for the poor or the children, even they might not complain. As for driving to other states, most people are too lazy to do that, and if every state passes laws, it won’t matter if you drive out of state.
Yes. Yes Yes
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Joannah
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