Do you think raising the tax on cigarettes for good causes is a good idea?
While I agree it would likely reduce the purchase of cigarettes (in direct proportion to the size of the tax), i don't think its a good idea for 2 reasons:
1. I don't like government intervening and/or trying to influence what people should do (i hate smoking, but I hate social engineering even more. I think people can make their own good or bad decisions).
2. This would seem to hurt small business owners more than anyone. Consider, you are raising the price on a product they sell a lot of yet NONE of the increase in price goes to them. Raising prices will lower sales, so essentially you are decreasing revenues to the small business owner who sells cigarettes. Any tax set up to hurt small business owners is very poor in my view.
Agree/Disagree? Why?
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker
Everybody complains about paying taxes, I mean federal, state, sales. But, they could put a 300% tax on cigarettes and alcohol and it would not even slow down 98% of the those that consume them. So I say jack that tax up, and lower the taxes coming out of my paycheck. I'd say that's a pretty good cause.
Missouri currently has the lowest cigarette tax in the nation. Some Missouri lawmakers want to change that.
