[andyt]

Lemmy Lemmy:

I read an article on the relationship between tobacco taxes and smuggling some years ago. I wish I could remember the title or author's name. But I remember it concluded that there was a knowable "threshold price", below which most smokers would pay the tax and enjoy the convenience of retail tobacco purchase, and above which most smokers would turn to the black market.

Govt recognizes that, which is why Ontario reduced taxes on tobacco. But also playing out here is the misstep of allowing natives to produce and sell cigs, which just turned into a clusterfuck. Repeal those laws, and taxes on tobacco could rise significantly.

With booze there's the problem of producing quality - takes time and good equipment. Also the physical size and weight of the product makes it harder to smuggle in quantity. So again, they could probably raise taxes significantly before the black market becomes a big piece of the action. Compare this to pot, so easy to grow and smuggle. Taxes on pot, IMO, have a pretty low threshold. But people growing their own would be all good.

[Gunnair]

Zipperfish Zipperfish:

Gunnair Gunnair:

Yep. Nor do I feel like subsidizing some dumbass mountain biker who runs out of talent and does a face plant into a tree or the 400 pounder piling it in in McDonalds nor the idiotic driver with no seat belt who wraps his camero around a tree.

However if I am going to be compelled to subsidize them then also jack up the taxes on mountain bikes, skateboards, junk food and gas then and drop the taxes on helmets, fruits and vegetables, and running shoes and safety gear in order to promote a safe and healthy lifestyle.

Want to smoke, drink, eat crap, and participate in high risk activities then you'll be taxed accordingly. Want to eat healthy and participate in low risk healthy activities then low taxes all around.

I don't want the government to promote a safe and healthy lifestyle. I want the government to govern. Safe lifestyles suck as far as I'm concerned. I quite like risk.

Agreed. My point was if the nanny state is out to establish sin taxes then don't stop and booze and my running shoes aren't a sin.