...Rising Health Care Costs Shante Dennard Eng. 122 Composition II Instructor: Jessica Harnish April 1, 2013 Over the years many states have failed to adjust tax rate inflation which has resulted in a loss of billions of dollars in potential revenue. That revenue could have help funded essential health and human needs programs or reduce the deficit. Revenue from alcohol and tobacco continues to be of more importance these days as our economy tries to overcome budget deficits. A 2008 report of the Congressional Budget Office estimated that increasing and reforming federal alcohol taxes could generate more than $28 billion in new revenue over five years. Alcohol and tobacco imposes enormous cost on society an according to the latest government estimates some $185 billion per year. Alcohol and tobacco should be taxed because health care imposes an enormous cost on society. This is associated with the underage use of alcohol and tobacco, traffic crash fatalities, certain crimes and alcohol related health problems. The author (Green, R. (2011) uses a public health nursing model, the Public Health Code of Ethics (Public Health Leadership Society, 2002), the American Nurses' Association (ANA) Code of Ethics (2001), and other relevant ethical theory to weigh and balance the arguments for and against the use of sin taxes. Some say that an increase in “sin taxes” will increase health care costs, but the government will take a greater role in regulating health care expenses...
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... Today, about 240 families lost a loved one to a tobacco-related illness. That’s an estimated 87,600 deaths in a year. In 2011, the country earned around Php26 billion worth of taxes from the tobacco industry, while revenue from cigarette manufacturers amounted to approximately Php31 billion. How much does life cost? For each life lost to tobacco use, the tobacco industry earned Php353,881.28. Is it worth it? This does not even account for the annual health costs and productivity losses from tobacco-related deaths and diseases that range from Php148 billion to Php314 billion. No monetary equivalent can also be juxtaposed to the hours of painful treatment just to manage the diseases, nor the time and energy a family member spends to care for the loved one. More so, these numbers do not even reflect the pain of losing someone you love. But for decision-makers, these exact figures and immeasurable realities are not compelling enough to pass the necessary measures to reduce tobacco use. Instead, the most marginalized and the poorest sectors are pitted against each other to rationalize inaction - tobacco victims versus farmers, workers against children and youth. Life versus livelihood. The battle of the sectors has been the easiest tactic to muddle the discourse on amendments to excise taxation. What we fail to remember is that all of these sectors - farmers, urban poor, youth, children, and workers are the tobacco victims. They are the ones selling their produce at...
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...the various sectors championing sin tax reform as it sought to retain the multitiered system and increase excise tax collection from tobacco and alcohol products by only P15 billion to P20 billion in the first year of implementation. This is significantly lower than the P31.35 billion that House Bill 5727, already passed on third reading, projects to raise, and an even farther cry from the P60.63-billion goal originally proposed by the Department of Finance. Senator Drilon’s substitute bill features an expected excise tax collection of P40 billion to P45 billion in the first year. Congress will adjourn for the holidays in six weeks, and there will be just three weeks of sessions next year before our legislators switch to campaign mode for the 2013 elections. Moreover, the Senate is also scheduled to begin deliberations on the proposed 2013 General Appropriations Act by next week. Thus, the need for the Senate to act and move the sin tax bill forward gains even greater urgency. Certainly, the passage of the sin tax bill has the full backing of the Aquino administration, which plans to use the revenue from the revised sin tax system to advance the government’s universal health care agenda. The campaign has garnered strong public support as well, particularly from the medical and health community. Last May, the Makati Business Club submitted its position to the House ways and means committee on the pending sin tax bill. In its statement “Tax Reform for a Healthier and Competitive...
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...During economic hardship, many “sensitive” topics, such as tobacco, drugs and alcohol are always on the table for debate; since they influence and impact our personal lives, people’s beliefs and the economy. As the United States of America continues on its present path of accumulating a deficit, many political opinions and justification will be voiced to clarify the excessive funds allocated to aid various tobacco, drugs and alcohol programs/budgets. These programs includes, but not limited to: education and awareness; local support groups; rehabilitation centers to medical finance assistance for care and medication. The programs listed above can easily be justified by local, state and/or national government bodies, but how about monies that are being missed used and/or irrelevant in helping society, which I like to, refer them as “scam expenses”. Tobacco products in the United States have influence two major problems in today’s economy. First, in recent years, numerous state governments have enacted higher tax rates on cigarettes. The governments overall explanation of higher tariff of tobacco products would hopefully lead to a decrease smoking rates. However, some disagree and different publications note the increase in taxes was solely for the purpose of increasing revenue. Overall state tax revenue from tobacco sales have dwindled in recent years in states like New York, which presently has the highest state tax on cigarettes in the United States. At first glance, people...
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...New Jersey Dr. Laura Sanders 9/29/30 A National Dispute In the past decade there has been an increased controversial view of tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana. People have been divided on how to regulate these products in the market, causing much governmental controversy. There have been many groundbreaking and unprecedented court cases that have been shaping the public policy on which these substances stand on. These substances have an immediate and perilous effect on the health of all human beings. Tobacco is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, alcohol causes impaired judgment and in turn causes people to do things that affect their health physically and emotionally, and marijuana has almost the same effect as alcohol. (New England Law) Health is the ultimate concern when studying these three substances, which would lead to the Family Smoking Prevention Act to survive the Hudson Test. The Granholm case would lead one to believe that states cannot discriminate against outsiders from sales, and the medical exceptions for marijuana are valid on the fact that it has a medical advantage to some citizens. I strongly believe that the federal government has a right to regulate certain aspects of these substances based upon the danger posed to the health of citizens. This paper will discuss certain court cases that shape my opinion for every substance. Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corp. v. Public Service Commission...
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...Chapter 1 Problem and Review of Related Literature Introduction Assessing the Main Effects of population strategies, such as tobacco taxation and pricing, on high-risk subpopulations is important for understanding the reach and effectiveness of such strategies. Increased tobacco taxes, passed on to consumers in the form of higher cigarette prices, provide an economic disincentive to those who smoke or may be contemplating smoking. Indeed, evidence from this knowledge synthesis strongly supports increasing cigarette prices through tobacco taxation as a powerful strategy for achieving major reductions in smoking among some, but not all, high-risk populations. This is a highly effective policy tool for reducing smoking participation and consumption among youth, young adults and persons of low socioeconomic status. In contrast, major gaps exist in our knowledge about the impact of price on persons diagnosed with mental health or non-nicotine substance abuse disorders, heavy and/or long-term smokers. Raising cigarette prices is an effective tobacco control policy in reducing smoking among youth. While most studies of young adults found that increased prices also result in reductions in smoking behavior, the magnitude tends to be smaller than for youth. Chaloupka and Pacula argue that because tobacco is an addictive substance, response to increased prices will occur more slowly than for non-addictive goods; therefore long-term gains may be larger than short-term gains. The impact...
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... Marijuana versus America Cannabis, or marijuana as it is more commonly known, is a substance that can provide many benefits to consumers as well as the economy. The United States should approve the legalization of marijuana so that Americans can reap these benefits. Marijuana, when used as an inhaled substance, has less intense effects than other illegal drugs, even though it is often judged as an equally dangerous substance as other inhalants. The United States could also benefit financially from legalizing marijuana through decreased prison costs, increased tax revenue, and product manufacturing. Finally, marijuana has provided relief in various forms to many people suffering from illnesses such as glaucoma and cancer. This will show that the United States should legalize marijuana because of the less severe effects than other drugs, the financial benefits to the country as well as medical benefits to its users. Marijuana should not be grouped with illegal substances like cocaine and heroin as the effects of marijuana use are not as dangerous. The Journal of the American Medical Association states that 17,000 deaths per year are caused by dangerous drugs such as...
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...Tobacco and Why Sin Taxes Should Be Increased ENG: 122 English Composition II James Welsh March 11, 2013 Tobacco and Why Sin Taxes Should Be Increased Tobacco may indeed come in many shapes and forms, but they all pose very high health risk to not only the consumer but also anyone around during consumption. Due to numerous toxins found in tobacco products as well as the help of science the government believes it will be wise to increase “Sin Taxes”. With the increase of such taxes healthcare will not only be more affordable, but tobacco products will less likely be purchased. Thus cutting the cost that the government pays in medical care for a smoker. While many people will argue that increasing “Sin Taxes” on tobacco products isn’t beneficial since smoking is an addiction. (Talylor, 2009) The Forms of Tobacco and The Contents While tobacco has many forms they fall into two main categories Smoking Tobacco and Smokeless Tobacco. (Connecticut Department of Health, 2013). Some people believe that some forms are safer then others, the fact remains that there are no safe forms of tobacco and they all pose addiction as well as health problems. Falling under the category of smoking tobacco: Bidis, Cigarettes, Cigars (cigarillos and little cigars), Electronic Cigarette, Hookah, Kreteks and Pipes. Bidis and Kreteks have a higher concentration of nicotine, tar, and carbon monoxide than the conventional cigarette. (Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, 2012). Bidi smoking...
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...Assignment 2 – Essay Should the manufacture, supply and use of tobacco be criminalised? Provide arguments for and/or against (relates to defining crime; concepts of deviance etc) There is irrefutable evidence of the harmful effects of the consumption of tobacco products which has resulted in a rethink of both manufacture and supply of tobacco by greater society. Global legislation initiatives have enabled the close monitoring and control of the industry however the overall consumption of cigarettes and tobacco based products has not significantly decreased worldwide. The following discussion will seek to identify whether the manufacture, supply and use of tobacco should be criminalised or whether it should be closely regulated by government policy makers. Scientific studies have confirmed the dangers associated with passive smoking and its physiological effects on the human body. From a legal perspective, the act of public smoking could be considered a crime. Government regulation has introduced the banning of smoking in public venues yet this has done little to deter the consumption of tobacco in designated smoking areas. This discourse will argue that smoking should not be criminalised as it removes the freedom of choice which underpins the very foundations of democratic society. The criminalisation of tobacco would also reduce the amount of revenue that government could raise by encouraging criminal profiteers in engaging in the black market sales of tobacco. In contrast...
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...Why Marijuana should not be made legalized * Introduction * Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug in the United States, with nearly 17 million Americans age 12 and older reporting past‐month use, and 374,000 people entering an emergency room annually with a primary marijuana problem. * Proposals such as legalization that would promote marijuana use are inconsistent with this public health and safety approach. * This is in contradiction with the Office of National Drug Control Policy, and any economic argument that applies to the legalization of marijuana applies most other illicit drugs. * Tax incentives argument * Alcohol Tax Incentives to Cost incentives * The debate over how much tax money recreational marijuana laws could produce is playing an outsize role in the campaigns for and against legalization — and both sides concede they're not really sure what would happen. * The argument is for: * it could prove a windfall for cash-strapped states with new taxes on pot and reduced criminal justice costs. * The report shows that marijuana legalization -- replacing prohibition with a system of taxation and regulation -- would save $7.7 billion per year in state and federal expenditures on prohibition enforcement and produce tax revenues of at least $2.4 billion annually if marijuana were taxed like most consumer goods. If, however, marijuana were taxed similarly to alcohol or tobacco, it might generate...
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...CHAPTER 1 The Problem and Its Background Introduction Tobacco smoking or cigarette smoking is the practice of burning cigarette, taking the smoke into the mouth and then releasing it. This practice dates back as early as 5,000 – 3,000 B.C. but was introduced to Eurasia in the late 17th century where it has also been a commonly traded product. The practice received speculations and a lot of criticisms since it was first introduced but it somehow made its way inside the society and became widespread upon the invention of automated cigarette-rolling apparatus. The tobacco has been first introduced to other countries before reaching the Philippines. The idea of smoking tobacco first came from the Arawak Indians in 1492 that was noticed by Christopher Columbus. Seven years later, Amerigo Vespucci found out that the inhabitants in an island near Venezuela have already been practicing chewing dried leaves. In 1591, Mexico has already been growing tobacco at an increasing rate. It was believed that the tobacco was introduced by the Spaniards and Portuguese to mainland Europe, East Indies and Asia while they are on an expedition for searching for spices and spreading Christianity. Cigarette smoking became one of the highly sought after vice in the Philippines because of the affordable price of each stick ranging from seventy-five centavos to 2 pesos each, depending on its brand. The Philippine government came up with an idea of increasing the taxes imposed upon alcoholic...
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...by private decision, and by prices, production, and distribution of goods that are determined mainly by competition in a few markets. This unique system allows for a merchant to market just about any product to the masses dependent on a public opinion of the commodity, legality, availability, and profitability. Some commodities, although carrying high demand are regulated heavily and sometimes even ban from the market place for reasons pertaining to public safety. Others, however, showing to be a health hazard are still allowed to remain on the market. This definition is according to Merriam-Webster.com. This paper will focus on the economics of cannabis and how by its decriminalization, or legalization, it can be a profitable commodity in the marketplace by the following. Providing an overview of cannabis and how political games have caused an unearned negative public opinion on the commodity. Listing arguments that support the claim that by legalizing this commodity not only crime rates in general, but violent crime rates, will drop noticeably if not substantially providing a savings in the cost of enforcing and prosecuting such crimes. And, that by decriminalization, the federal government can regulate this commodity much like alcohol and tobacco providing new sources of tax revenue. A History of Cannabis The best way to understand the public image that cannabis has today is by looking at how we understood it yesterday. Starting from the first piece of legislation in 1906...
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...Smoking is the inhalation of the smoke of burning tobacco encased in cigarettes, pipes, and cigars. Casual smoking is the act of smoking only occasionally, usually in a socialsituation or to relieve stress. A smoking habit is a physical addiction to tobacco products. Many health experts now regard habitual smoking as a psychological addiction, too,and one with serious health consequences. Nicotine - An alkaloid (a nitrogen-containing chemical) made by the tobacco plant or produced synthetically. Nicotine has powerful pharmacologic effects (including increased heart rate, heart stroke volume, and oxygen consumption by the heart muscle), as well as powerful psychodynamic effects (such as euphoria, increased alertness, and a sense of relaxation). Nicotine is also powerfully addictive. Tar is a sticky substance that forms into deposits in the lungs, causing lung cancer andrespiratory distress. Carbon monoxide limits the amount of oxygen that the red blood cells can convey throughout your body. Also, it may damage the inner walls of the arteries,which allows fat to build up in them. Carbon Monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas that is a small part of the air we breathe. There are many sources of Carbon Monoxide such as incinerators, car exhaust and gas furnaces. Ammonia: A colorless gas with a very sharp odor. Made both by humans and by nature, ammonia dissolves easily in water and evaporates quickly. Liquid ammonia is found in many household cleaners....
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...Marijuana, also known as cannabis, is a form of the cannabis plant. In 1923, marijuana was added to the Confidential Restricted List as a prohibited drug in Canada. However, many Canadians believe that marijuana should be legalized because it can play a significant role in the medical industry. However, others hold the opposite attitude toward Marijuana legalization. This serious controversy has lasted for many decades. Canada’s neighbor, the U.S. government, has forbidden this drug since the early 1900s. However, this implementation didn’t produce a satisfactory result. (National Prevention Strategy, 2011) Marijuana should be legalized in Canada because its advantages outweigh the disadvantages. These advantages are likely to promote the Canadian economy, eliminate social issues and benefit the health of its residents. In terms of the economy, legalizing marijuana could conduct not only negative effects, but also positive effects. In the past decade, underground trade of marijuana has caused harm to Canada’s income. Werner Antweiler, the UBC professor, believes that the marijuana market is sizable. (2013) In B.C., the estimates show that Canadians consume at least 3 billion dollars in marijuana products annually. (Barmak, 2013) Other data from The International Journal of Drug Policy indicate that the retail value of marijuana consumption in B.C is between $443 million and $564 million. In addition, further estimates point out that marijuana legalization is likely to help the...
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...Why Marijuana Should Remain Illegal Published: February 26, 1994 * Sign In to E-Mail * Print To the Editor: I read with concern "Legalizing Marijuana Would Allow Regulation of Its Potency" (letter, Feb. 13). According to the writer, marijuana with high levels of tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC (the chemical that causes the psychoactive effects on the abuser), is not a new phenomenon, and this high potency should not be used as a reason to keep marijuana illegal. Marijuana is not the same drug it was 20 years ago. Special fertilizers, plant hormones and steroids, carbon dioxide and advanced indoor horticulture techniques are used by the informed grower to "push" the plant to produce the highest grade, most potent variety of marijuana, sinsemilla. Because of its potency, domestic marijuana is the most highly prized cannabis product in the world. In 1970, the average THC content of a marijuana plant was 1.5 percent. The THC content of today's sinsemilla variety ranges from 8 percent to 20 percent. Today's marijuana is a drug that is significantly more potent than it was during the Woodstock era. The writer then states that "if the Government really believes that stronger varieties of marijuana are less desirable, then it has one more reason to support legalization. If cultivation of marijuana were legal, growers would not be pressed to produce the strongest possible product, and health authorities would be able to regulate its production and strength." This logic doesn't...
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