Sunday, June 19, 2011

GIVE THE ANARCHIST ANOTHER CIGARETTE












I used to smoke cigarettes. I used to smoke cigarettes like a bloody chimney. I don’t any more – except the odd guilt-tripped drag – because it totally ruined my health. But, hey, is making butts unaffordable the only way to make folks see the light and lay down the lighter?

“If you're still a smoker, you're probably not smoking while reading this unless you're using a hand-held device and situated safely eight or so miles from the nearest building or public park. Anyway, The Awl has compiled a shocking list of how much a single pack of cigarettes costs in each state, including District of Columbia. Blogger Nate Hopper explains the methodology: "Prices were obtained by calling a gas station in each state's most populous city and asking the clerk for the price of a pack of Marlboro Reds with tax. Memphis, Tenn., was toughest (nine phone calls). The gas station in Milwaukee, Wis., had the only employee who ended the conversation with 'have a good one.' We'll tell you that West Virginia was the cheapest, at $4.74 a pack, and New York, of course, was the most expensive, at $11.90. (Although, last week the New York Post complained that a new tax on cigarettes had raised the price of a pack to $14.50 – or what we used to pay for a carton.) After the jump, see how much you'll pay for a pack o' butts in your state.” (Click here for more)

12 comments:

Aleleeinn said...

Used to smoke cigars. For some reason cigar smoke pissed cigarette smokers off royally. Maybe I'll see it that's still true. LOL

Tobacco contains a drug. Tobacco addicts are still in denial. So they will pay.

How much has the cost of a bag of weed or a normal user portion of most other drugs increased.

seeformiles said...

I gave up tobacco 6 years ago after a "moment of clarity" during a particularly rip-roaring mushroom trip where I completely lost my sense of scale and couldn't light my cig since it was too far away.
Still like to catch a bit of second hand - standing downwind of anyone smoking Old Holborn...

marty g said...

these guys are on it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HK-UKNkhtMw

Anonymous in case my mom is reading... said...

In the US an ounce bag of weed has increased by only about 25% since the mid nineties regardless of grade or location. The mid atlantic midgrade stuff averaged 100 in the mid ninety's and averages 125 now. In the dirty south a 60 dollar ounce is now 75 or 80. Out west its a little worse unfortunately, with bags hopping from 200 or less to 300 or more, but that's the dank shit that's gotten all scienced in the interceding years, so its basically fair. Hope that helped Aleleeinn

peterrocker said...

Here in OZ, cigarettes are about to be sold only in plain packets. Drab olive green covered with graphic photos of what tobacco does for you. Also, at present a packet of 20 Marlboro costs $17.90 due to increased taxation. To cap it off, they cannot be displayed to consumers. Real under-the-counter stuff. The tobacco companys are going ape-shit and spending fortunes telling everybody how disgraceful it all is.

seeformiles said...

In UK - price of an ounce of good balck hash in the mid-80s was £120 - today it's £140. Good African bush was £100 per oz - now it's £80-£90. Cheaper in real terms than ever before - Huzzah!

Aleleeinn said...

Thanks Anonymous & seeformiles. Weed costs haven't really been affected by the shift from local dealers to the drug mafia. But weed isn't where the money is.

peterrocker said...

All this talk of weed (sigh). Wish I knew where I could get some.
Doubt if any street honcho would want to sell it to a 66 year old pensioner like me.:-)

Mick said...

I don't have a problem and I'm 67.

peterrocker said...

Well Mick, I guess I don't kmow as many disreputable people as you do (LOL).
I only I did.

Mick said...

I suppose I am a disreputable person.

peterrocker said...

And you should be (and probably are) fiercely proud!!!
(Pity you don't live on the Mornington Peninsula in Australia)