Rendell: 10-Cent Tax Hike For Cigs

Pony up, smokers! Ed Rendell wants a 10-cent tax hike on packs of cigarettes.

Governor Rendell has long been advocating for a tax on cigars and smokeless tobacco products. But now, as he tries to figure out how to plug a $2-billion-plus hole in the state’s budget, spokesman Chuck Ardo says Rendell will also propose increasing the cigarette tax by ten cents a pack:

“I think it’s in response to the economic crisis and the fact that smokers cost the commonwealth a significant amount of money in health-related expenses.”

Yeah, but think how much the state saves from the calmed nerves of smokers. On the plus side for the cigarette smokers in the state, at least every pack they buy will be stimulating the economy. (Rendell’s office says the tax could raise somewhere around $50 million.)

As usual, the new tax will hurt poor smokers the most, but nobody cares about them.

Rendell Wants 10¢-per-Pack Hike in Penna. Cigarette Tax [KYW 1060]

Photo by Valerie Everett used under a Creative Commons license

Rendell Signs Statewide Smoking Ban

Yes, it’s official: Gov. Ed Rendell has signed a statewide smoking ban, according to a release from his office. It’ll take effect in 90 days; like the Philadelphia ban, bars that make 20 percent or less of their revenue from food can apply for an exemption.

The bill will also allow smoking in nursing homes (it’s ageist!), on sections of casino floors and in private clubs. Oh, and you can still smoke in your own home, but you all know they’re coming after you next.

Update: Also in Pennsylvania news, a woman who claims Michael Jordan fathered her child (he didn’t) has been barred from contacting him again.

Crack, Weed, Nicotine Make Local News

Oh, so apparently this story is gaining a lot of traction: A 7-year-old in Trenton was found with crack in school; his 10-year-old sister turned him in. This was a little different than the usual minuscule amount kids manage to steal from idiot parents and bring into school for show and tell. Our little 7-year-old had seventy grams of cocaine.

The kid won’t be punished — hooray! — but his parents have been arrested on drug charges and endangering the welfare of a child. A commenter on Action News‘ website plainly states: “does anyone who has made it out of the inner city care enough 2 put their successes aside 2 mentor 1 child 2day honestly it does no good 4 the white community 2 step up 4obvious reasons 2 numerous 2 list as a community both blk n wht n other we r in trouble.” Uh, yes.

The Eagles’ Mike Patterson was recently charged with possession of a drug of a less dangerous nature, i.e. marijuana, reefer, pot, ganja, cannabis and about 150 other stupid names. The Daily News‘ John Smallwood goes and says he shouldn’t be smoking pot because of Andy Reid’s sons!

Considering his family’s ordeal, it would be difficult for Reid to simply dismiss Patterson’s actions and let them drift away. For Reid to do nothing to Patterson would be a tacit acknowledgment that drug use isn’t that big a deal, and really, how can he possibly do that? Yet, if Reid hands down an overly harsh penalty on Patterson, would it be viewed as him allowing his personal issues to influence his professional duties?

Sigh. Meanwhile, Philly Edge points to a debate about a legal drug: Some snooty teenagers in Bensalem want to take away our right to smoke in parks and playgrounds! If not the suburbs, there’s nowhere else to smoke! The kids are part of the Extreme Service and Intergenerational Training Experience, and we all know how much extreme power that group has. Guess we’ll have to be content to smoke elsewhere. Who knew you were even allowed to smoke at a playground anyway?

An Upside For Smoking-Ban Opponents

Now that Philadelphia Smoking Ban Proposal III seems to be out of theaters — I’m expecting October is when the the newest sequel will come out — it’s time to turn our collective watery eyes across the river to New Jersey, where a ban goes into effect on April 15.

Or will it? A few bars and restaurants are suing, claiming that the exemption for casino floors is unconstitutional, but previous exemptions in other stats have been ruled constitutional, and so… it seems like the entire state will be not as dirty in just a few days. The lawsuit goes to court tomorrow.

There are some strange aspects to the law, such as the fact that the official rules and restrictions of the ban won’t be established until months after it goes into effect. (I’m not quite sure what the rules are going to be. Is it really much more than “No smoking in public places”?)

But some restaurants are accepting the ban, and getting ready for life after it, such as the owner of 10 West, a club in Galloway Township:

[Club owner Jeff DeLucia] bought five stylish Middle Eastern hookahs - water pipes - and stationed them around the lounge of his Atlantic County nightclub, 10 West, in Galloway Township.

Instead of tobacco, the hookahs burn a combination of dried fruit and molasses, which DeLucia hopes will remain legal after the smoking ban’s scheduled start at 12:01 a.m. Saturday.

Mmmmm… dried fruit and molasses! I can’t believe it, but he actually managed to find something you can smoke that sounds more disgusting than tar and tobacco (or whatever). I can’t wait ’til (ha ha) this hits Philly!

Last-puff effort on N.J. ban [Inky]
Photo by Maria G.I.