Can you guys sign this petition for me? My dad could lose his businesses.

[Llama Juice]

https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/we-are-retailers-not-manufacturers/wgLndqTT

So, I know this type of shit goes around, and I usually ignore petitions too, but this is one that personally effects me. My dad owns a few tobacco stores that have a machine in them that customers can operate to be able to basically roll their own cigarettes efficiently.

There is a bill that made its way through a good chunk of congress that was some sort of Highway construction bill. Somewhere in this 500 page document they included a paragraph about how these machines at stores like my Dad's will need a manufacturer's licence to be able to own them. The small scale that these machines (that cost $30,000 each) are used makes it so they don't qualify to be able to receive the licence that will be required.

This will shut down thousands of these stores, end thousands of jobs, and only put more money into Big Tobacco's pocket.

I'm not a smoker, neither is anyone in my family. This petition isn't about promoting smoking or anything like that. It's about supporting local business and standing up against something that's total bullshit. The stores that my dad operates all sell tobacco that's additive/chemical free. The people that come in say that they don't wake up with crazy violent cough fits anymore, and that they feel *better* after smoking these, than if they were smoking the name brand stuff.

TL;DR. Big tobacco snuck something into a highway reform bill that says to force some small time retailers to require a manufacturer's licence to operate their stores which would then shut those stores down. Sign petition, hopefully it'll stop the bill and save my dad's stores.

https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/we-are-retailers-not-manufacturers/wgLndqTT

[Kornman00]

Since the Colbert Report is on vacation and can't give this the Colbert Bump, I'm giving this the Kornman Bump

Except this thread is already the top most thread :saddowns:

(ps, I signed already)

[n00b1n8R]

Your dad will go out of business if he loses these machines?

[Emmzee]

Your dad will go out of business if he loses these machines?
No, he's just going to make slightly less money because people will be rolling their own cigarettes instead of paying however much it is to have a machine roll them. This is stupid. There is absolutely no way this guy's dad will lose his business because of not being able to own these machines anymore unless he just bought them and went into debt to buy them (which, given the fact that these are obviously intended to be a side money deal and not the main focus of income in his store, would be horrendously stupid), or if his business is already losing tons of money, in which case being able to keep these machines really won't do much.


The stores that my dad operates all sell tobacco that's additive/chemical free. The people that come in say that they don't wake up with crazy violent cough fits anymore, and that they feel *better* after smoking these, than if they were smoking the name brand stuff.
lmfao

[Llama Juice]

The big thing with these stores is that you pay a very small amount to "rent" the machine when you buy your tobacco and papers. This keeps costs down for both the consumer and the business. We're able to sell cartons (200 smokes) for roughly $35, whereas anywhere else it's around $75. Big tobacco doesn't like that, so they're trying to put us under.

If this bill goes under it will put those machines out of service, which are 90% of the profits for the business. Nobody wants to spend the time to roll their own smokes... so instead to be able to rent a machine like this it saves them heaps and heaps of time and money. If this goes through then our machines will be nothing more than $30,000 paperweights. Those machines are what the business is centered around.

The business isn't crazy profitable as is, but with the different stores we're able to provide jobs to people that otherwise wouldn't have them in these smaller communities. If this bill passes, not only will my family lose our stores, but other families will lose their jobs all to benefit Big Tobacco.

[Timo]

How on earth is it possible for this to happen? Is the bill not about highways, or can propositions to your government be called whatever you want?

[Emmzee]

The big thing with these stores is that you pay a very small amount to "rent" the machine when you buy your tobacco and papers. This keeps costs down for both the consumer and the business. We're able to sell cartons (200 smokes) for roughly $35, whereas anywhere else it's around $75. Big tobacco doesn't like that, so they're trying to put us under.
I'm calling bullshit because I've never cartons go for anywhere near what you're saying other places sell them for.

[Llama Juice]

@Timo, companies with lots of money can push legislature into nearly anything they want to apparently. The bill is entirely about a highway reform, but there is literally less than one page in the middle that's about forcing these stores to be classified as manufacturers instead of retailers. It's super bullshit, hence this petition.

@Emmzee These stores are in Wisconsin. Here's a list of average cigarette prices by state per pack. 10 packs come in a carton, so take these prices and multiply by 10 to get carton price. (Yes, some places will have you save a few bucks if you buy by the carton, but it's usually like $5 off the whole carton at best)

http://cigaretteprices.us/cigarette-prices-by-state/

[Timo]

That's literally retarded, signed it.

[Limited]

American's cant be bothered to roll their own smokes? Wow...

[Llama Juice]

Its a pain in the ass to do it by hand, and thats assuming you're not terrible at doing it.

lBDM_oOdHhw

Alright, one down. 199 to go for a carton.

I know a lot of people have tried to do it by hand, but it never comes out just right for them. So they end up just forking out the cash for the big name brand stuff.

[DarkHalo003]

I see people do it all of the time at college. In fact, I have never seen one of these machines you speak of. Regardless, here's hoping everything ends up well.

[Emmzee]

It's as hard to roll cigarettes by hand as it is to roll a joint, and that took me like 3 tries to perfect.

Then I started using a vaporizer, which is objectively superior to a joint, but I'm confident I can still roll a cigarette by hand no problem in no time at all. The only excuse for not knowing how to do it properly is laziness.

[Amit]

Then I started using a vaporizer, which is objectively superior to a joint, but I'm confident I can still roll a cigarette by hand no problem in no time at all. The only excuse for not knowing how to do it properly is laziness.

Vaporizers for the win. The fact of the matter is that people are too lazy to roll their own smokes and there is a market for this kind of machine. Therefore, the petition is a good idea. No harm can come from overturning this nonsense.

[Donut]

I'm calling bullshit because I've never cartons go for anywhere near what you're saying other places sell them for.
ive seen cartons go from ~60 to 80 in rhode island

[Limited]

By cartons you mean the packs of fags you get? LIke Marlboro?

I have never seen my friends use a rolling machine, I have never seen them even smoke a real pack of fags, they always roll their own. Cheaper, and safer as they know exactly what is in it.

I've been asked before to roll peoples smokes, it took 2 tries to master it. Its seriously not hard. If you can roll a pencil between your fingers smoothly, then you can roll a smoke.

Machines are for lazy people, plain and simple.

[Emmzee]

ive seen cartons go from ~60 to 80 in rhode island
Cartons are $25-$30 in my state.

[Siliconmaster]

I signed it, and I also second the vape comment above, those things are awesome.

Timo, there have been a few attempts to pass laws forcing bills focus on a single issue at a time, but nothing has been passed relating to Congress, so we continue to have bullshit like this happen.It's how politics work currently, you make a bill everyone needs, then you stick in stuff you want to happen. The NDAA was a very similar piece of work- necessary bill, one paragraph regarded detaining Americans. I hate US politics...

[Donut]

Cartons are $25-$30 in my state.
holy shit dude, its like 8 bucks a pack here. a pack being... 20 i think? the carton i believe is 10 packs.

[El Lobo]

$25 for a carton cannot be correct. What state do you live in Emmzee? Bought a carton in Illinois for $60-65 I believe, and that was two years ago.

[TVTyrant]

Cigarette prices are unbelievable

And I don't even smoke.

Costs me like 5 bucks for a can of wintergreen though, and that shit usually lasts me like two weeks

Haters gonna hate

[Rainbow Dash]

How on earth is it possible for this to happen? Is the bill not about highways, or can propositions to your government be called whatever you want?

Welcome to western politics (yes it happens in canada too)

[Roostervier]

maybe it's $30 a carton if you get some fucking pyramids, wildhorses, king mountains, or pall mall's, lol

[PlasbianX]

$25 for a carton cannot be correct. What state do you live in Emmzee? Bought a carton in Illinois for $60-65 I believe, and that was two years ago.

I agree, price doesn't seem right. I think we sell where I work at state minimum (ohio) and its like $55 for a carton of Marlboro.

[Bodzilla]

hey bro's a 20pack of cigs in australia is a minimum of 11 bucks.

[DarkHalo003]

This is why some people I know and I don't smoke: I'd rather buy food to be honest. Starving college students unite!

[Rook]

The year is 2012 how are people still making the conscious decision to start smoking? Signed your petition either way.

[Hotrod]

The year is 2012 how are people still making the conscious decision to start smoking? Signed your petition either way.
I have no clue... I'm glad I'm not associated/friends with anybody who smokes, it's a disgusting habit.

[Limited]

How many cigs in a carton?

Over here you can get 10 smokes for £3.25, 200 smokes for £57, 20 smokes for £5.84 which is $5.6 Australian dollars.

[Patrickssj6]

19 for 5€ / $6

[Emmzee]

I agree, price doesn't seem right. I think we sell where I work at state minimum (ohio) and its like $55 for a carton of Marlboro.
North Carolina has the 3rd-lowest cigarette tax in the nation, and a lot of cigarettes are made in-state which means no federal taxes apply. It's the cheapest place to be a smoker.