Twin Cities News

“Eliminating the sugar tax is good, how about cutting out the tobacco tax?”

Adam Rose
Twin Cities News

Premier Hogan’s promise to repeal the sugar tax introduced by former Premier Andrew Furey will actually be eliminated on July 1.

But what about the tobacco tax? Smokers I’ve spoken to in the Twin Cities hope the tobacco tax will one day be eliminated.

Bobbie Bennett of Mount Pearl said, “Eliminating the sugar tax is good, now how about cutting out the tobacco tax?”

Sara Loveless of St. John’s said, “I don’t understand why the government would even draw up the notion of such a tax on Pepsi drinkers, but hey, the government placed a much higher tax percentage on smokers some years ago!”

The tobacco tax has been quite controversial among smokers for several years. According to the Newfoundland & Labrador finance department, the tax percentage differs for: cigars – 125 per cent of the purchase price, loose tobacco fine cut – 56 cents per gram, and 32.5 cents per cigarette.

“32.5 cents per cigarette, sweet Christ on high, that’s 32.5 cents multiply by 20 and divide that by 100, that’s $6.50 per pack, sons of b*%#@&*” says Gordon Hollett of St. John’s, as he refers to the government. He also said, “People want their smoke just as bad as they want their bottle of Coke, root beer and Crush pineapple. I suppose next they will tax the air we breathe and the s*$* we put in the toilet, oh wait, toilet paper is taxed and food is not, but it’s coming!”