Tobacco in the mail targeted (Schumer)

[NVMojo]

(but if our ports are wide open for trafficking, why worry about Native Americans shipping tax-free cigs in the US Mail?)

NEW YORK -- The U.S. Postal Service is not doing enough to halt the illegal shipment of cigarettes and smokeless tobacco across the country, Sen. Charles Schumer charged Friday.

Schumer, joined by New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, said he will introduce legislation next week in the Senate that will impose fines of at least $1,000 per offense and possible jail time for anyone convicted of mailing cigarettes through the Postal Service.

"The U.S. mail has become the last refuge for online cigarette merchants, and it's time that this loophole be closed," Schumer said.

Several states, including New York, have laws prohibiting or restricting the shipment of cigarettes and smokeless tobacco directly to consumers. Schumer said the federal legislation would ban the mailing of cigarettes and smokeless tobacco, just as liquor, firearms and explosives are now.

more...

http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=459648&category=STATE&newsdate=3/11/2006

[Peace Patriot]

1. I think this is a bid by big (chemical) tobacco companies to drive organic

tobacco and chemical-free cigarettes out of the market, or to control them (a la Walmart and books), and to jack up the prices, so they can't compete with the toxic crap that the giant tobacco companies produce. I'd look for mafia-type connections (which, these days, merely means global corporate) in tobacco distribution and chemical companies--and I wouldn't believe a word of any virtuous motive from Mr. Charles Schumer.

[GrumpyGreg]

2. It's not about health,or the type of tobacco, or kids,it's about

tax revenues.

Bootlegging profits will go up even faster now.

An overtaxed product leads to ways to avoid the tax,and cigarettes are overtaxed. A reasonable tax would not cause the evasion.