Hookah

So I went and bought a new one about 2-3 weeks ago. It's about 3ft and I've got a few cans of shisha stored up now. I readily enjoy it, but am sad to learn recently about a 750% tobacco tax that is being pushed forward, or has already been pushed forward through the legislature.

Is that a typo of some sort, or do you really mean a 750% tax? If so, I'm gonna need some sort of citation or information or something. That's absurd, and I don't even smoke tobacco.

750% tobacco tax that is being pushed forward, or has already been pushed forward through the legislature.

Hahahaha...

H.R. 4439, the Tobacco Tax Parity Act of 2010 was introduced on January 13, 2010 and would raise the tax on pipe tobacco 775% from $2.8311 to $24.78 per pound.

http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-h4439/show

I apologize for posting that without doing my own research. It seems it was actually proposed back in January, but hasn't gained any traction much of since then. I got some misinformation from a friend of mine, but still.

http://theeagerbeaver.wordpress.com/...h-r-4439-dead/

"At this time, H.R. 4439, proposed federal legislation to increase the pipe tobacco tax to the same rate of the RYO tax, has little life or attention in Congress. Lobbyists from the IPCPR the Pipe Tobacco Council (a division of the Cigar Association of America (CAA)), and others have met with key members of Congress to discuss and detail our industry’s opposition to the bill. H.R. 4439 is currently sitting in the U.S. House of Representatives’ Ways & Means Committee. No hearings or further action has been scheduled at this time nor do we expect any immediate action. Several more meetings are scheduled with Congress in the coming days. "

Assuming that that's referring to "loose tobacco" like what you would use to roll your own cigarettes, it sounds like a bullshit way for cigarette companies to get people to buy their product instead of rolling their own. I don't understand why the tax would target a specific type of tobacco (which wouldn't apply to cigarettes) otherwise. That's pretty BS, IMO.

Exactly. They aren't even really the same things, and i'm 99% positive you're reasoning is why the proposed bill was even introduced to begin with. But reading now that the bill isn't going anywhere, i'm quite relieved. Time to go buy some more Star Buzz