Elaine

I have worked and smoked for almost thirty five years and minimum wage has barely gone from two bucks and hour to seven bucks and hour over all these years. I started out paying three dollars a carton to now almost forty dollars a carton for cigarettes. I have seen our cigarette companies paying twenty five billion dollars to our government to help cover medical cost of smokers.How much of this money has gone to help with these medical costs? I believe that it is time our government to give smokers a break from taxing smokers that can not afford to pay forty dollars a carton. I do not try to get people to smoke. I do not agree with cigarette companies trying to make smoking glamorous to young people. I believe that every person has to make this choice whether to smoke or not.

I think that our government is taking advantage of smokers by taxing cigarettes to the point that no one can afford to smoke. I am a smoker I believe that our government is trying to take away our right to freely choose to smoke by taxing cigarettes on both ends. I believe that our government is bleeding smokers and tax payers on both ends.I believe that taxing products is fair but when you raise tax on cigarettes by three hundred times over this short a period of time. I think that it is time for smokers to write their local and federal government leaders to tell them to stop taking advantage of our smoking.

I have seen minimum wage raised from two dollars and hour to seven dollars and hour over thirty years and the cost of cigarettes have gone from three dollars a carton to over forty dollars a carton this is means that smokers have to work six to seven hours just to afford a carton of cigarettes. I believe that tobacco companies should not try to make smoking adds that focus on making young people smoke. Both our government and tobacco companies are targeting smokers one to sell their product and our government to tax smoking tax payers. I do not believe that it is right to tax cigarettes to the point where you can not afford something you enjoy doing.

People have the freedom of choice to choose whether they smoke or not that does not mean our government has the right to tax smokers for more then they should have to pay. You know smokers pay taxes when they work to.Why are smokers being targeted for something they do?I believe that both the cigarette companies and our government are taking advantage of smokers. One to sell their product that is addictive and our government taking advantage of smokers by charging ten times to much tax on cigarettes.

I hope that our government will stop taking their tax needs out on smokers only. I think that all smokers need to tell our government that it is not right to bleed people for taxes just because they smoke.I believe that people are being taxed out of every thing they enjoy I am glad that our tobacco growers support our economy and pay their share of taxes.

I am a smoker I believe that no government has the right to over tax cigarettes just because they know that smokers will continue to pay for their right to smoke. I believe that smokers have the right to be treated fairly by our government when taxing our cigarettes. No smoker has ever said that people should have to breath our smoke just do not tax us out of our right to choose to smoke.

I hope that our government will stop abusing their right to tax cigarettes and make a fair and final tax that will assure that smokers to do not get cheated any longer. I think that all products should be taxed fairly and not taxed because people like to smoke. Taking advantage of smokers has gone on long enough it is time to give smokers a break.I would hope that our government will realize that taking unfair tax advantage of smokers is abuse of our tax system . I believe that it is time to tax this product fairly for the rights of all smokers. Remember that even smokers vote to put you into office.

I would not advice any person to start smoking this is your right of free choice. I think that taxing smokers unfairly is not right either. People have been choosing the right to smoke or not smoke since our country was founded. It is not the right of our government to try and tax this product beyond what is fair just to take the right of free choice away from our people. I hope that our government will let me decide whether I should smoke or not. This problem needs to be looked at to fairly create a tax that will not take advantage of our tax paying smokers.

I hope that taxes on smokers are treated fairly now and in the future. I hope that our government will stop taxing cigarettes for more then a fair tax.

As always I write with respect.

My name is Mike Carvell of the voice I hope that this will be read by all publishers and that they agree with me that we need a voice for change I believe that if we all work together we can change so many problems that face our country today. I believe that if you put your column and respect on the line that we can all make this column a voice for all people I mean all people. Tell me what you want changed and i will keep this column honest direct and to the point with the commitment you need to affect change. Once again I need your respect help and commitment to make this accomplishment possible.I not only believe in all Americans but the rights and respect of you all to make this commitment for which I will write with all honesty and respect and power that i can to prove this to you. This is my column and only my column I will do all the writing with respect to all those of you who put your trust and commitment into this column now and in the future. I will be columns as many as i can on as many subjects that I can with respect for all my future work thank you mike carvell as always.