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A comment on Greeks are abandoning cigarettes in record numbers. Parent comment

Re:Greeks are abandoning cigarettes in record numbers by WalterBright on Saturday January 20, 2018 @05:50PM (#16195869)
Two or three decades back Canada tried high cigarette taxes to reduce smoking. A black market promptly appeared, complete with smuggling across the border and drive by shootings, until the tax was lowered back.

(During WW2 which had extensive gas rationing, a black market for that appeared as well, and (you guessed it) drive by shootings.)

Of course, today we have the failed war on drugs, with drive by shootings.

There are limits to government power attempting to force morality on people.

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Re:Greeks are abandoning cigarettes in record numbers by seanmcdirmid on Saturday January 20, 2018 @05:53PM (#16195880)
The high cigarette tax works in Australia. Smuggling across the border is a bit difficult being an island and guns are relatively rare.
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Re:Greeks are abandoning cigarettes in record numbers by WalterBright on Saturday January 20, 2018 @05:57PM (#16195897)
It's all a matter of how high the taxes are. The higher they are, the more profit there is in smuggling.
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Re:Greeks are abandoning cigarettes in record numbers by seanmcdirmid on Saturday January 20, 2018 @06:27PM (#16196001)
Australia is pretty high, in Sydney they go for more than $25 a pack. Still, smuggling would require long boats rides and stuff, while Australia is a pretty rule of law place.
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Re:Greeks are abandoning cigarettes in record numbers by xref on Saturday January 20, 2018 @07:09PM (#16196172)
cigarette snuggling sounds like an RJ Reynolds plan to get more kids smoking
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Re:Greeks are abandoning cigarettes in record numbers by seanmcdirmid on Saturday January 20, 2018 @07:29PM (#16196239)
Oops, fixed!
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Re:Greeks are abandoning cigarettes in record numbers by girvo on Saturday January 20, 2018 @09:18PM (#16196539)
Yeah. If you’re going to take the huge risk of importing something illegal here, it might as well be cocaine or heroin et al. That way you make a decent profit for your risk at least.
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Re:Greeks are abandoning cigarettes in record numbers by seanmcdirmid on Sunday January 21, 2018 @01:01AM (#16197055)
Unless you transit through Singapore or most any other SE Asian country, sure.
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Re:Greeks are abandoning cigarettes in record numbers by newbie912 on Saturday January 20, 2018 @08:42PM (#16196438)
Cigarette taxation in Canada depends a lot on provincial jurisdiction and with no inter-provincial borders it makes enforcement against smuggling tough
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