Monday, March 18, 2013

Daddy Bloomberg Wants to Require Retailers to Hide Tobacco

The ban on large size sugary drinks was odd enough, but NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg has now gone totally loony.

A new proposal would require New York City retailers to keep tobacco products out of sight under a first-in-the-nation proposal aimed at reducing the youth smoking rate, the said Monday, reports FOX NY.

The legislation would require stores to keep tobacco products in cabinets, drawers, under the counter, behind a curtain or in other concealed spots. They could only be visible when an adult is making a purchase or during restocking.

"Such displays suggest that smoking is a normal activity," Bloomberg said. "And they invite young people to experiment with tobacco."

But, get this, stores devoted primarily to the sale of tobacco products would be exempt from the display ban.

The legislation, to be introduced in the City Council on Wednesday, is comprised of two separate bills.

The second bill, called the "Sensible Tobacco Enforcement" bill, strengthens enforcement of discounted and smuggled cigarettes, which is a business that is booming as a result of the heavy taxes in NYC on cigarettes.

The Sensible Tobacco Enforcement bill includes the following provisions:

•Increasing penalties for retailers who evade tobacco taxes or sell tobacco without a license.

•Prohibiting retailers from redeeming coupons or honoring other price discounts for tobacco products.

•Creating a minimum price for cigarettes and little cigars, which are virtually identical to cigarettes, at $10.50 per pack
.
•Requiring that cheap cigars and cigarillos be sold in packages of at least 4, and little cigars be sold in packages of at least 20. Cigars that cost more than $3 each are exempt from the packaging rule.

Bloomberg's mayoral reign will end on December 31, so there is plenty of time for more nutjob proposals, which appear to be intensifying as he glides into the sunset.

3 comments:

  1. By lobbying to prevent cigarette advertisement the Brand leaders did two things. They cut their own costs of advertising, and they prevented any smaller competitors to come into the market by advertising the advantages (or branding) of their new products. This froze the market with the Big Boys easily able to maintain their market share (due to no advertising allowed). Hiding cigarettes from the consumer is the next logical step. If you remember you smoke Marlboro you will ask for it. You will not even be able to point at the new upstart. Brilliant.

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  2. I was watching a Law and Order episode from 1990, and it was about how extensive the black market cigarette trade was. Some gangster was paying off police deputies for protection. The tax was $.35 then. Did some rough calculating, by the CPI it should be about $.62 now. Going by the increase in gold prices it should be about $1.95. In reality it is now $5.85. That's nearly 1600% increase in 23 years.

    Can you imagine how bad the black market for those items is today? Can you imagine the corruption that exists because of it? I wonder if Bloomberg understands this principal and is creating more profits for the unseen hands. Just a thought.

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  3. In a related story, Daddy Bloomberg Wants to Require Retailers to Hide Personal Vibrators. A new proposal would require New York City retailers to keep vibrators out of sight, reports FOX NY.

    The legislation would require store owners to keep vibrators in their drawers, and other concealed spots (tsk tsk). They could only be visible when an adult is making a purchase or during restocking (snark). "Such displays suggest that using a vibrator is a normal activity," Bloomberg said. "And they invite young people to experiment with dildos (chortle)."

    The bill, called the "Hide the Kielbasa Enforcement" bill, strengthens enforcement of discounted and smuggled personal vibrators, which is a business that is booming as a result of the heavy taxes in NYC on, well, every damn thing...

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