New York does it again: no internet cigarette sales?

[Monkeyleg]

After Mayor Bloomberg's draconian smoking ban, I thought New York smokers couldn't have it any worse: taxes on smokes higher than just about anywhere; almost no public place left to smoke; and penalties for smoking that are patently absurd.

Today a friend from NY called, and she was irate that the state has banned internet sales of cigarettes as well. She now has no recourse but to pay nearly $70 a carton (or quit smoking, of course).

In the face of ridiculously high cigarette taxes here, I'm ordering mine off the internet and saving about 41%. If our state should pass such a law, I'd start buying them from criminals. At some point you have to say the law is crazy and you refuse to obey.

 

[Boats]

You could just quit and deny money to any taxing authority at all.

 

[Tamara]

At what point does a state effectively become a foreign country?

I already feel like I'd need a passport to go someplace like NY, CA, NJ or MA.

 

[Hkmp5sd]

I didn't even know you could buy cigarettes online. Don't see how they could enforce it either. Just have them shipped to a friend living outside NYC and go pick them up.

 

[pax]

...$70 a carton

Yeowch. That's really bad.

I hate cigarettes and am allergic to cigarette smoke, but I have to say that I'm really surprised there isn't a popular uprising to fight back against this sort of thing. Folks should be marching in the streets.

Why aren't they?

pax

You know, if government were a product, selling it would be illegal. Government is a health hazard. Governments have killed many more people than cigarettes or unbuckled seat belts ever have. – P.J. O'Rourke

 

[sonny]

Does anyone have a link that proves this?......I have heard rumors about this but I'll tell you that if this is true they kept it pretty secret......that scares me a little....I mean alot!

 

[Pilgrim]

We are getting to the point where your neighborhood drug dealer will be able to diversify and offer cigarettes along with heroin and cocaine.

Pilgrim

 

[bedlamite]

Boston had the tea party, New York needs a tobacco party.

 

[PrudentGT]

Funny, I thought regulation of interstate commerce was one of those silly enumerated powers given to the federal government... but what do I know?

 

[Standing Wolf]

Last time I bought cigarettes, I paid $24.79 a carton for Winston light 100s.

 

[Orthonym]

Tamara, you already do need (an internal) passport

if you want to ride in an airliner. Remember that li'l ol' "photo ID" requirement. I wonder if anyone here has calculated the cost of buying an airplane, taking flying lessons, etc vs. what he spends/has already spent on buying guns and taking shooting lessons,ammo, etc etc? Not only could one "keep the piece" when travelling, but...well, I think you catch my drift.

 

[jimpeel]

I quit smoking on April 4, 1971. It was my son's first birthday present. Also cigarettes had become prohibitively expensive at $.45/pk.

I ask the smoking Nazis on radio call in programs what they will do when kids rediscover cornsilk as a tobacco substitute as people did during the depression. They have no answer but you can bet your sweet one that the price of corn would go to $4.00/ear, the sale of unshucked corn would be banned, and the growing of corn on your own property for personal consumption would be prohibited.

 

[Desertdog]

When will they start searching your cars for counterband when you cross the state line on your way back home?

 

[sonny]

It is not uncommon here in NYC to see "buisness minded citizens" selling packs of cigs on the street.
It has already gone underground.

 

[WonderNine]

Has promising business potential...