It's not fun to have to pay $5 a pack for cigarettes
In Tennessee very interesting phenomenon can be observed. Recently this state has lowest tax on cigarettes, but things have changed and now Tennessee inhabitants are traveling to bordering state Kentucky in order to save some money on cigarettes. They do so because cigarette tax increased from 20? to 62? per pack.
Facing so impressive increase, it can be understood why people react so. Even so, Tennessee smokers can break the law and not even know it.
Virginia Gregory is working at the Key Stop Store placed just across the Tennessee border in Kentucky.
“Where they used to come and get one carton now they’ll get two or three cartons - and they come more often,” says Virginia.
Tennessee smokers went to Kentucky in order to save money, because cigarettes from local stores had become too expensive.
“Every week when I go there, there are two or three cars from Tennessee,” Portland resident Stephen Raines says.
“Anyone whose close enough and feels like its worth it ought to be able to go across,” added Raines. “I think they ought to lower the taxes if they want the cigarettes to be bought in Tennessee. Why are people that smoke penalized?”
Tax law is very severe: for one illegal imported carton police is allowed to confiscate it and you can lose your car, but if more than 25 cartons are purchased you could go to jail.
Some Tennessee smokers don’t agree with new law and think it is unfair.
“I guess a lot of people don’t like smoking, but it’s not fun to have to pay $5 a pack for cigarettes,” a Tennessee smoker Megan Henly says.
Tennessee has the highest tax among eight bordering states, of 62? per pack.
For example in Georgia tax is 37?, in Mississippi 18? and in Missouri 17?. It is not hard to count how much Tennessee smokers could save up while going to Missouri.Why Tennessee ought to pay more than others?
