From: Brooklyn Daily Eagle
Fears Raising the Cost of Tobacco Will Flood the Streets With Illegal Cigarettes
By John Alexander
State Sen. Marty Golden feels that a key component is missing from de Blasio’s anti-smoking proposal. “It is disappointing to see that Mayor de Blasio’s proposal aimed at reducing tobacco use in New York City fails to address the underground cigarette industry,” said Golden. “If this plan is truly about reducing smoking and saving lives, we must intensify our efforts at both the city and state level to get our untaxed, illegal cigarettes off the streets.”
***Golden added, “The mayor’s plan to raise the price of a pack of cigarettes will only strengthen the black market cigarette industry. The addition of more illegitimate cigarettes to our city and state puts New York in a position to lose even more tax revenue and fails to reduce smoking. The focus should be on cracking down on the sale of illegal cigarettes, which can bring down the number of smokers in New York, and will additionally prevent this money from being funneled to support organized crime and terrorist organizations.”
