MA Residents: DON’T Go Across The Border For A Pack Of Smokes!

Attention Massachusetts cigarette smokers: As of September 1st, you will want to purchase tobacco products right here in our backyard and if your travels take you out west to The Empire State, my advice is to STOCK UP locally because big changes are in store for our neighbors in eastern New York. As a passive smoker, I will be keeping this in the back burner, but let me elaborate further:

New York's cigarette tax is scheduled to go UP $1 as this is the first increase that has taken place since 2010. Customers will now be charged $5.35 per pack as opposed to $4.35 as this 10% increase is expected to decrease tobacco consumption by 4%. But these are just ready-made statistics as my take is they are "forcing" people who smoke to quit by making the cost of smokes unreachable to those who are experiencing financial setbacks. It should be up to the person who indulges if they want to stop lighting up, but that does NOT seem to be the case in this "so-called" 21st century.

Metro New York Executive Director of The American Lung Association, Erica Masin stands by this decision:

"The latest data shows that 1 in 5 high school aged youth uses tobacco products. New York state spends approximately $9.7 billion annually on preventative smoking-health care costs as the impacted higher tax will save 15,300 lives and will prevent over 14 thousand youth under 18 from becoming adults who smoke"

New York raised the minimum legal sale age in purchasing tobacco and vaping products to 21. They have established a 20% tax of vaping paraphernalia and has required registration for vapor product retailers to regulate the sale of these products to restrict access towards young people.

New state laws have terminated the sale of tobacco and flavored vaping products in pharmacies and have stopped the shipment of vaping products to private residences. These days, it is impossible to receive a discount for a pack of smokes as their intentions mean well, but it is STILL a ploy to get those who can't afford the increases to stop all together and that to me is NOT fair. After all, aren't we living in a democracy? Enough said!

For those who wish to stop on their OWN accord, healthcare providers and Quit Lines provide support via cessation programs as this move stated by The American Lung Association state this move leads to fewer smokers, better health outcomes and reduced health care costs. Providers can treat nicotine addiction with counseling and medication and can double or triple a person's chances of success. If you need further information to take that directive, call 1-800-586-4872 or submit a question by going here.

(Some information obtained in this article courtesy of a press release from The American Lung Association)