Wisconsin to switch to weight based tobacco tax...

[RobsanX]

Portion users like myself will still get fleshlighted... And not in a good way.

WI Tax Changes On Smokeless Tobacco Products

Originally printed at http://www.northlandsnewscenter.com/...123112873.html


By KBJR News 1

June 3, 2011

Duluth, MN (Northland's News Center) - A major change to the Wisconsin tax structure on some smokeless tobacco products is on the horizon.

The Joint Finance Committee approved a provision put forth by Altria Clients Services, the parent company of tobacco giant Philip Morris, that would tax moist snuff, also called chewing tobacco, by weight, not a percentage of what it costs distributors.

Tobacco would be taxed at a rate of a dollar–seventy–six per ounce....or two dollars and eleven cents if it weighed less than one–point–two ounces.

U.S. smokeless tobacco is the largest producer of moist snuff...and includes the brands Copenhagen and Skoal.

Opponents of the effort say switching to a weight–based tax would steer more minors toward tobacco because products would be cheaper for consumers.

So because I buy cans that weigh less than 1.2 oz. I get to pay more in taxes. This feels like a direct attack on portion snus from the American tobacco lobby...

[Monkey]

That is rape.....maybe it is to cut into camel and general sales and USST portion/pouch tins will go up .2 oz.

[lxskllr]

Lame. Aside from the fact that I reject all disproportionate taxes on products, the corporate power play in this case is particularly disgusting. Don't forget the nasal snuff also. A 5g tin of snuff will be taxed higher than the product's worth!

Frank mentioned Northerner snus looking into refill packs for the tins. That would be an easy way around this idiocy. While molding a company's product line around a single state's stupid taxes doesn't make sense, refill packs are an environmental win, and may allow manufacturers to offer a cheaper product without affecting the bottom line. Package ONE tin with a 200-400 portion bag, AND use a higher quality sticker that doesn't wear out fast, WITH an easily removable separate warning sticker, and you'd have a winner on your hands(are you listening Jimmy?).

[RobsanX]

The whole idea behind Camel and Marlboro snus is to sell an extra product for when smokers can't smoke. This low weight tax only makes snus cost prohibitive to people who might use it to quit smoking. SSDD...