Smokers might want to read this

[Aryan]

WASHINGTON: New York City is weaning its denizens away from nicotine by doing what it does best – raise the prices higher than any other place on earth.


In a salutary tale that will have other cities inhale sharply, it was revealed on Monday that the number of cigarettes sold in the city has been cut in half since prices were bumped up to around $7.50 a pack with some of the highest taxes in the country.


The administration of new Mayor Michael Bloomberg in June raised city taxes on cigarettes from 8 cents a pack to $1.50 a pack, on top of a separate New York State tax of $ 1.50. It was one of the steepest hike in taxes, and public officials said it was intended to force people to quit rather than to raise greater revenue.


Figures during the first full month of the new tax reveal that New York City sold only 15.6 million packs of cigarettes during July compared to 29.2 million packs sold last July, a remarkable 47 per cent drop.


It is difficult to assess how many people have quit because cigarettes can still be bought cheaper on the Internet and in neighbouring cities such as Long Island, but it appears the sale of nicotine patches and calls to smokers helpline have gone up significantly.


In a development that will have officials from other cities across the world sit up and take notice, what is burning a hole in the pocket of the remaining smokers is also filling up New York City coffers. The city earned $23 million in cigarette taxes last month, up from $2.3 million last July.


Small store owners, many of them Indian immigrants, are complaining about the drop in sales, which they say also affects the sale of other products. The New York Times Metro section, which first reported the story, cited Raj Patel, 47, who owns the Optimo Cigar Store across the street from City Hall with his uncle Jay, as saying he was selling 60 per cent fewer cigarettes.


"If people don't come in, how can you sell them magazines, how can you sell them soda, how can you sell the chips?" he asked, complaining that it could become hard to make the rent.


But public health officials are delighted at the lowered sales. Big tobacco companies remain sanguine, since by all accounts, incidence of smoking continues to rise in Third World countries.


Cigarette prices have risen steeply over the past few years in countries such as Sweden, Denmark, Norway, France, Finland, and Ireland, where public officials and law-makers are seriously concerned about what it costs the government to keep people in good health. By contrast, cigarettes are relatively cheap in countries such as India, Nigeria, Pakistan, Russia and some South American nations.

[nydood]

The price hike was one of the reasons I havent lit a cigarette in the last 3 weeks. Buying on the net from Europe was not an option for me because even though the European cigarettes are cheaper, I dont like their taste, so I decided to quit (ofcourse, i dont know what will happen when I go to India or happen to pass by duty free )

[Big-G]

People will simply buy them from the neighbouring states.

[CyberKhiladi]

business opportunity man!!

yo Nydood!! 60-40 deal karni hai kya?
Mein supply maartahu 500 Packs of Parliament Lights at 3 !!
u sell at 5!!

1000 ka profit.......400 mera 600 tera!!

fir nex month mein 1000 supply maarta hu! sell at 5!!
2000 Profit.......!! 800 mera 1200 tera!!

What say you?

[Aryan]

Which is your favourite cig brand presently ?

[Big-G]

Aryan...are you from Newyork?

[echarcha]

Grown up folks smoke of their own volition. They have a right to smoke.

Now smoking is bad for health and can cause many diseases. Let the people be made aware of such dangers., Why should the govt. try and stop dumb habits of people?

Anyway, raising taxes is one way to discourage people from lighting up a cigarette but you cannot have a dual policy. On one hand some places allow marijuana for 'medical pruposes' and I think marijuana in any form is much more dangerous than cigarettes.

[dirty]

I saw this on TV the other day. Grass in legal in Netherland & some Europian countries . They have regular Mariujana shops like we have cigerret shops in US. It is siad , it has reduced drug abuse !

[nydood]

I thought it was only legal in Netherlands. Yeh baaki ke kaunse European countries hain?

[dirty]

My bad . I think it is only Netherland.

[CyberKhiladi]

Portugal!!

[nydood]

No wonder my colleague went there for a vacation