One way to do this is through vilification, which has been practiced by the opportunists since tobacco became popular centuries ago.  A great way to earn a living while doing next to nothing, save for spreading misinformation and fallacies regarding tobacco’s negative health effects.  Nobody’s gonna back a Three Thousand percent tax on Cotton Candy but a couple of them a day will kill you quicker than a dozen cancer sticks.  Ironically, these lazy s.o.b.s. would have to get jobs if they ever got what they’re railing for; a smoke-free America!

Potentially aiding this ever dwindling resource of lies, as science disproves theory after theory created by the antis, comes the introduction of FSC, or fire safe cigarettes.  No FSC application will save the fires caused by an ashtray prematurely dumped into the trash (one of the leading causes of fires linked to cigarettes).   FSC is a chemical cocktail containing Napthalene, Vinyl Acetate and poly Vinyl Acetates legislated on the smoking populace with no adequate safety testing.  This could well end up ensuring the smoking mortality rate remains high and a boon for publicity purposes.  Seriously, no testing and it’s legislated upon us for general human consumption?

This chemical cocktail could just as well end up exaggerating the consequences that smokers face.  These alleged health problems are just not coming to fruition in the numbers the antis have been preaching and attempting to achieve.   Manipulated statistics and a scorned public can only swallow so many lies for so long.   The possibility exists that FSC legislation could subsidize the over-dramatized consequences to cigarette smokers and serve to increase the mortality rate linked to smoking.   Modern science and free thinking people are finding it harder and harder to choke down the anti-smoker’s rhetoric.   With the popularity of anti-smokers at an all time high, politicians are jumping on the bandwagon and making smokers as unhealthy and broke as possible.  Ironically, this could turn out to be an effective way to increase personal profits and kill as many smokers before the ruse is up and the suits begin.

You have to hand it to em, between this, being FSC, and the draconian S-CHIP bill, our govt and Big Tobacco might successfully eradicate a whole class of less fortunate smokers and maybe even a slew of mid income smokers to boot.  One way or another, through quitting due to excessive taxation or maybe even through some creatively incurable “side-effects” of FSC.  Of course these are far fetched and paranoid musings that aren’t even close to the truth, the real reason being profits and payoffs.  A surefire way to keep Big Tobacco rolling in the dough and ensure a reliable flow of income despite declining new smoker rates.  So our current admin didn’t wait 30 days to backpedal on promises and tax the poor, it’s a poor group that the majority couldn’t care less about…… ingenious!  The only good smoker’s a dead smoker.  Kudos to the current admin et al, drinks all around  (until alcohol falls on the legislative table).

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Now playing: Dave Matthews – Cry Freedom
via FoxyTunes

Here’s an easy to use reference showing the current federal tax on assorted commercial tobacco products, the new S-CHIP effects, and the overall percentage increase.  The chart helps illustrate the unbalanced taxation schedule for various tobacco products.  A quick study will show the discrepency between one form of tobacco and all the rest as being singularily picked for an exhorbitant and especially brutal tax.  The RYO tax increase shown is NOT AN APRIL FOOLS JOKE NOR A TYPO!

Exactly why the RYO tobacco industry and it’s consumers are expected to bear the brunt of the S-CHIP’s proposed tax increase has yet to be made clear.  Several RYO manufacturers have already announced their intentions to close effective March 31st,  2009.  How any remaining companies plan to bear such a dramatic and uneven tax is a mystery.  The secretive way in which the bill was passed and it’s effects ingnored by the media leaves many RYO users in the dark.  Many won’t realize the effects of the bill until April 1st when attempting to purchase tobacco.

SCHIP Tobacco Tax Rate Increases | RYO Revolution

Many RYO retailers are hoping to clear existing inventory before April 1 to avoid the Floor Tax which marks all current stock immediately taxable and due under the S-CHIP provisions.  Some experts believe the RYO industry’s future is questionable and do not foresee many current companies surviving this onslaught of record high tax legislation.   RYO consumers are up in smoke about this and looking for cheaper alternatives while breaking their piggy banks, trying to stock up before the March 30th deadline.  It’s ironic that one of the resources the less fortunate are using to cope with the economic downturn is evidently being put to rest.  Legitimate US businesses are being destroyed to help support the healthcare of children of fairly well-to-do families, some of whom earn over $80,000.00 annually and even those of illegal aliens.

When asked how this will affect smoking behaviors, some RYO consumers relayed that their seeds are already ordered and plan on growing their own tobaccos.  A new hobby might spring for some, but land, skill and time constraints will make this a select few.   While GYO, or Grow Your Own, the smallest and most intensive of the tobacco hobbies, might work for the luckiest and most proficient, few RYOers have the resources nor space available for growing to be a real alternative.

Big Tobacco might expect an increase in market share when frustrated hobbyists and those who can afford to,  turn back to commercially manufactured cigarettes.   While the RYO consumer experienced a record breaking increase in federal tax, commercial cigarettes, pipes, cigars, chew and even snuff tobacco users  experienced only a curiously modest increase.   Insiders claim the cigar lobby threw RYO under the bus but many enthusiasts blame Big Tobacco itself.  Whichever the case, those who cannot afford to pay double or more in retail costs; smokers on fixed income, unemployed, out of work, handicapped, retired and otherwise broke smokers might need to finally give the old habit the boot.   For many of these people however, the prohibitive costs of cessation aids will make quitting an arduous, long and uncomfortable process.

Chart illustrating the inequities of the new S-CHIP bill as it’s applied to various tobacco products. Some experts say the current revision of the S-CHIP bill will likely destroy the RYO industry in the US and leave the poorest class of tobacco users in the cold. Ironic that the bill heralded to fund children’s healthcare for Americans earning up to $83K per annum is being placed squarely on the shoulder’s of America’s poorest citizens.  As anyone can plainly see, these figures are a bit askew against RYO by about 2,000%!

SCHIP Tobacco Tax Rate Increases | RYO Revolution

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.