The State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) illustrates the greed and hypocrisy of the anti-tobacco movement.  This bill clearly exposes the inequities of the reforms they initiate and support.   SCHIP proposes to increase the already immoral taxes on tobacco and cigarettes to a rate never before seen in a civilized nation on one single product.

This immoral bill is disguised as an aid to the children to make it appealing to voters who don’t care to learn what’s inside, like the original Trojan Horse.  This will disproportionately affect one of the of the lowest income class of citizens to obscene proportions.  SCHIP intends to rely on the funding from an already ailing class of taxpayers who average only $35K a year to subsidize the health insurance burden for children of other people who earn up to $82K.

Another ludicrous facet of this is the proposal to incorporate an additional tax on RYO or roll-your-own products.   Many RYO consumers live at or below poverty level, many are living with no roof and no job.   S-CHIP will force the the poverty stricken to resort to re-stuffing butts found on the streets, theft, panhandling and worse.   The impoverished addicts will use means necessary to fulfill their addiction.

This anything goes when you stamp it; “For the children!” excuse has got to stop.  Current tobacco taxes ironically fund supporters of this and similar anti-smoking legislation.  SCHIP and it’s supporters intend to lawfully steal from the poor to give to the rich in this milestone of economic prejudice.  Smokers pay 100% of SCHIP ,  maintain 3rd class status with segregation and discrimination, immoral inflation and no or little health insurance.  Hows that for irony, slave away for others while having no means for benefits themselves.  Cigars are not at risk for near the same massive tax increase.

Tobacco’s revenues rival some of the most powerful resources in our world’s economies.  Tobacco’s power and appeal both lie in the simple fact that it contains one the most addictive drugs known to man; nicotine.  Appealing to the addict for obvious reasons but even more so to the legislators. This gives the abusers of tobacco an unique power to be sure; legislation.   Addiction allows inequitable legislation to be passed, taxes to be levied in the most unscrupulous of manners otherwise unimaginable by today’s enlightened.  Taxing the poor and the weak; the minorities,  and doing it with the support and plaudits garnered through vilification.

Recently, PACT,  a most powerful tobacco control bill fell to the House for approval.  The House overwhelmingly passed the bill which now goes to Senate and eventually empower the government to gain yet more control over the sale of this most powerful of weeds.   While this bill certainly might have some good measure to it, the auspice that terrorists are using counterfeit cigarettes to fund their mischief is a bit much to swallow considering the availability of illicit drugs with exponential profitability.  The addition of the prohibition of mail order loose tobacco for (DIY/RYO cigarettes) though is the curious part of this bill.

In order for this to happen, , the Jenkins act of 1949 which allows for the state to state sale of tobaccos for personal use through the mail,  will need to be amended.  This manipulation of this decades old Jenkins Act  screams of yet another instance of gaining control for taxation and control purposes.  Taxation of the poorest of the poor, the DIY smokers.   All this is palatable and even admirable due to the vilification of tobacco by the very abusers who stand to profit.

It’s cool though because smokers stink and if they have to manipulate the tax system like this it’s best to keep it to people like that.   None of this is gonna affect most people and it might even reduce SHS.