Polls

1st, Can we MAKE someone quit? What sin tax percentage is it going to take to make them quit or are subsidies for tobacco farmers the real problem? Tobacco use is linked to HALF A MILLION deaths annually in the US alone.

Are people who can't quit "weak"?

FYI: smoking cessation products and programs are subsidized under MANY health insurance plans in the U. S. Almost all health insurance plans cover tobacco cessation treatments. Additionally, "Pay to Quit" direct cash programs have been shown to improve cessation rates among socioeconomically disadvantaged adults.

Is it the (declining) social acceptability of cigarettes that's the problem? FYI: Smokers, if you wanna get laid quit NOW! A Match. com survey revealed:
• 57% of survey respondents said they would NEVER date a smoker
• 89% of respondents preferred not to date a smoker
• 56% of women surveyed would NEVER date a smoker
• 46% of men would NEVER date a smoker

Currently in the USA, the FEDERAL tax is $1.01 per 20 pack of cigs. The lowest STATE tobacco tax in the USA is in Missouri, at $0.17 per pack of cigs. NY is $5.35 per pack. Accordingly, the average price of a pack of cigs in Missouri is $6.11, while in NY it is $11.96.

Profitability varies, as an example, in 2018, Imperial Brands reported a profit margin of 46%. Retailers, however, often experience low profit margins, typically between 4-6%.

Is all of this for nothing because of the rise of vaping?

E-cigarette products can have markups as high as 400% and HAVE NO federal taxes. State taxes vary from 95% of the product to a.05¢ nickel per product. Worldwide smoking trends are declining, though the number of smokers remains high. As of 2020, 22% of the world
used tobacco w/ significant gender differences: 37% of men & 8% of women smoked. Smoking prevalence has decreased by 27% for men and 38% for women since 1990.

Dare I ask about your views if you see a pregnant woman smoking? 😳

if you've done any amount of reading on Europe's first contact with the native Americans you have likely come across a prophecy that "white people from beyond the sun would come and bring about total destruction."

Republicans on the House Ethics Committee voted not to release the results of their investigation into president-elect Donald Trump's attorney general pick, Matt Gaetz, despite growing calls to make the findings public ahead of his confirmation hearing. This comes after two women testified before the committee and said that they were paid for "sexual favors" by the ex-congressman.

I try to break the bubble, being liberal, by watching right wing. It's not easy...