Those of you out there who smoke or keep track of tax hikes and budget cuts may be aware of the $.62 cent federal tobacco tax hike which was enacted by Congress and signed into law by President Obama in mid 2009. This has taken the federal tobacco tax from the previous $.39 cent to a whopping $1.01.
Keep in mind, this is the only the federal tax we are talking about, we haven't even gotten to the state tax yet. State taxes have been steadily rising since 2002 and gone up from an average of $.43 cents to $1.34 per pack. It's estimated that 1.2 million people will quit smoking due to this tobacco tax hike.
So what's the bright side? It can't be all bad, can it? There will be an estimated $9 billion dollars raised annually for state expenditures from the tobacco tax hikes.
$9 billion dollars seems like a large sum of money, and it is, but it's a ripple in an ocean compared to the estimated $193 billion dollars in healthcare expenditures and productivity lost each year. The $9 billion combined with the potential for saved healthcare costs and unhindered productivity may very well be a small, but they are important step in bringing the country out of recession.
Now, for us smokers, that may sound all great, but unfortunately that's not going to make me quit smoking. Well, then looking for something that helps fatten up our wallets, keeps the doctors away, maintain productivity, and lets us smoke might sound a bit impossible given the situation. May sound like a dream, but it really isn't. There is an alternative that lets you get everything you want out of a cigarette, but without all taxes, chemicals, and smoke related health risks. Does it still sound too good to be true? Well allow me to explain.
The electronic cigarette is a new piece of technology that you probably have never even heard about. With all those cheap gimmicks and false promises, it's hard to think something as good as this could exist, but it does! The electronic cigarette is a personal vaporizer the size of a cigarette that cuts out all the middlemen. The vaporizer emits water vapor that is inhaled, feeling very much like cigarette smoke, except without the harsh, dry, scratchy feel.
The Green Smoke electronic cigarette is by far the best available on the market. A smooth indistinguishable feel of smoking without the carbon monoxide, chemical additives... and taxes? (You must be kidding.) It's even cheaper than tobacco cigarettes. (Oh, COME ON!) Nope, you don't just have to take my word for it, better yet, go and check it out for yourself.
Here are a couple resources available with some additional information on the Green Smoke electric cigarette that may very well be the unexpected answer you were looking for.
Find our more about the Green Smoke Electric Cigarette or check out a review of the Green Smoke Electronic Cigarette!
