PACT Act Passed in Senate

[nyisles]

The Senate passed the pact act yesterday. It’s not quite a done deal, as the house needs to vote again on it due to small differences in the bill… but the chances of them not passing look remote. If they do pass it, then it will go to Obama’s desk for a signature, which it will likely get.

This means that once the bill goes into effect, a few months from now, you’ll have to pay state and federal taxes on your tobacco orders, and you’ll need to sign for deliveries.

While this would end the Golden Age of Cheap Online Smokes that began about a decade ago, many brick and mortar tobacco retailers will dance in joy as they will be able to compete with prices.

 

[tolgademirel]

:sad:

 

[njstone]

horrible, horrible day! Sadly, most other states will follow suit. I'd not be surprised if, by the time I return from Japan, this isn't happening in nearly every state.

 

[NorcalMark]

NEW YORK STATE – The business of selling tobacco products could be impacted by Thursday's Senate approval of the Pact Act. It received bi-partisan support from senators like Kirsten Gillibrand. She says it protects children.

"It's very important we do everything we can to make sure children don't smoke. Children's smoking is an unacceptable statistic that we need to fight against. What we found is that children are getting access to cigarettes by ordering them from over the internet," said J.C. Seneca, Seneca Nation Tribal Councilor.

Seneca calls the Pact Act the latest encroachment on Native American sovereignty. He knows the Senate approval means the mail ordered ban would also crush out some of his nation's tobacco business. He says it would also wipe out more than 1,000 Western New York jobs.

"We continue to fight and move forward and look to provide the leadership for our people to sustain and succeed on our issues of concern," said Seneca.

Senator Gillibrand says she knows that many Western New Yorkers may lose their jobs.

"We're going to do everything we can to help the Seneca's continue to be such a vital part of economic growth of this community," Gillibrand said.

Seneca believes Gillibrand and Senator Charles Schumer both brought into the lobbying efforts of big tobacco companies, like Phillip Morris.

"And it's unfortunate the representatives of New York have fallen into that mix where they're controlled by big tobacco," Seneca said.

The American Cancer Society celebrated the Senate's decision. It wants the bill to stop the sales tax breaks for mail order tobacco purchases.

"Probably 100,000 New Yorkers will in fact decide to quit," said Gretchen Leffler of the Western New York American Cancer Society.

But the fight from the Senecas is far from over.

Seneca owns a smoke shop. He leads the nation's Foreign Relations Committee. The Senecas will reach out to long time advocate Brian Higgins next to stop the bill's momentum before it returns for final vote in the house. If that doesn't work, the Seneca's plan to move their protest to the White House.

"We'll find the way to weather the storm and in the end, as our ancestors have done, we will come out on top," Seneca said. "We will find a way to maintain what we have. Protect what we have.


But it's ok if 1000's lose there jobs, to make sure kids don't smoke. Lets add 1000's maybe more to the already 100,000's jobless now.

 

[WMGF]

Well, it looks like everyone might be screwed but us cigar smokers.

(Sec. 2) Revises the definition of cigarette to include roll-your-own tobacco and to exclude cigars. Defines "delivery sale" to mean any sale of cigarettes or smokeless tobacco to a consumer ordered by telephone, the mails, or the Internet or other online service . Redefines "person" to include state, local, and Indian tribal governments. Redefines "use" to include the consumption, storage, handling, or disposal of smokeless tobacco, in addition to cigarettes.

Looks like there are quite a few congresscritters who also enjoy the low online cigar prices.

 

[reliefdvm]

CC's are already cheaper for the most part than the NC - this should make them even more of a bargain. I guess I will have to ramp up my planned internet purchases over the next few months. That said - 90% of my Nc's are purchased through my local B&M not online. I am willing to pay a little more to support a local business (the exceptions have are stuff they don't carry).

 

[tmoney2007]

I purchase the majority of my smokes from my B&M and the taxes in my state are practically nonexistent.

Would we have to pay the state taxes for my own state, or for the state it was ordered from?

 

[Le Buzz]

Well, it looks like everyone might be screwed but us cigar smokers.



Looks like there are quite a few congresscritters who also enjoy the low online cigar prices.

this brings a sigh of relief.

 

[HalloweenHarry31]

This is just another way for the government to use taxes to force an agenda. I may be wrong but isnt this kind of taxation the reason we declared independence from England?

 

[tedp]

Leave it to the idiots in Washington and they hose us every time. Throw the bums out!

Amen!

 

[IndyPaintballSmoker]

Cbid will go crazy

 

[Psojka RP,601]

awful :angeryell

:cursing: