| Know what burns my BUTT |
| First of all let me tell you that I am a smoker. I have been smoking for more years than most of the people who are complaining about smoking have been on this earth. When they say smoking is no good for you, they are right. I am in total agreement with them. But I am one of those people who believes that other people should not push their beliefes on other people. Tell them this or that in their opinion is or isn't good for them. BUT leave it at that. Let them make up their own mind. So long as they are hurting no one but themselfs. They have found that people have been smoking long before the pirimids were built. And not only cigaretts. |
| Some of the things that burn my butt. When I joined the service at the age of 17 I had already been smoking for about 7 years. When you went on a hike or what ever you always got a break. The first thing the sargent or whom ever was in charge would say was LIGHT EM UP IF YOU GOT THEM. You got cigaretts sample packs in your ration kits. You got cigaretts sample packs in the mess hall. Yes, it was our government that gave us these cigaretts. And yes they knew they were no good for you. |
| Now what realy burns my butt When I pick up the paper and read about how our government sued the tobacco companies and won BILLIONS of dollars from them. Did they realy? Did they realy? I say no. Why do I say no. Well, they knew from the beginning that the big tobacoo compaines would pass this settlement on to the consumers. All the smokers. About $5 or $6 a carton. Did they use the money for what they said that they would? Again I must say NO. They are using it for every thing but. Don't take my word for it, just pick up a paper. If a high school drop out and a smoker like myself can see this why can't everyone. I see this tobacco settlement as nothing more than an INDIRECT TAX ON THE SMOKING PUBLIC. Now get this. Pa just raised the state tax to a $1.00 a pack. That's $10.00 per carton. Add this to the $5.00 indirect tax and you have $15.00 of tax on every carton. OK, Now when you get to the check out counter in Pa. the sales clerk will add a 6% sales tax on this $15.00 tax. They are taxing a tax. How do you like that? NOW THAT IS WHAT REALY BURNS MY BUTT SMILE BE HAPPY |