Sin Taxes: Alcohol and Tobacco to be sacrifice to reduce costs of medical care
Xavi
ENG 122 English Composition II
Dr. Sharon Hanscom
February 28, 2013
Sin Taxes: Alcohol and Tobacco to be sacrifice to reduce increasing costs of medical care
Using sin taxes to generate revenue for governments to reduce the cost of medical care have been a subject of discussion across the world. Products such as alcohol and tobacco have suffered the most because of the dangers that comes with it, and others are asking for taxes on junk foods, gambling, pornographic materials, and sugary soft drinks. These increases have raised lots of concerns such as; why people use alcohol and tobacco products despite the health issues associated with the use of these products? Why will the government increase only the taxes on alcohol and tobacco and not products and services such as pornography, gambling, junk foods, and sugary soft drinks? What will be the possible outcome after the increase in alcohol and tobacco? Are there other alternatives apart from alcohol and tobacco to reduce the increase in health care cost? And will people quit the habit because of the increase in the prices of these products? The solution to the increasing costs of medical care is to educate people about the importance of healthy living and the dangers and damages of alcohol and tobacco.
The Essay on Bureau Of Alcohol, Tobacco, And Firearms
Bureau Of Alcohol, Tobacco, And Firearms BUREAU of ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, and FIREARMS The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms is one of the most important Federal Agencies we have. It is dedicated to reducing violent crime, collecting revenue and protecting the public. The ATF, for short, has many different programs for alcohol, firearms, arson and explosives, and tobacco. The ATF has a long ...
Due to the fact that alcohol and tobacco are some of the leading causes of a lot of the major health related problems, it is the right choice for the government to increase the levy to help fight for the increasing cost of health care cost and to prevent the teen age group from starting something they cannot afford due to the higher taxes on these products. According to research “WE MODEL a TWO-PERIOD SITUATION WHERE INDIVIDUALS CONSUME a SIN GOOD, WITH POSITIVE IMMEDIATE GRATIFICATION BUT NEGATIVE IMPACT ON SECOND STAGE HEALTH STATUS. IN THE SECOND STAGE, INDIVIDUALS MAY INVEST IN HEALTH CARE SERVICES THAT HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACTON THEIR HEALTH STATUS, AND IN THE FIRST ONE, INDIVIDUALS REALIZEIN THE SECOND PERIOD THE MISTAKES THEY DID PREVIOUSLY, REGRET THEIR PAST SIN GOOD CONSUMPTION, AND INVEST IN HEALTH CARE UNDERSTANDING ITS CORRECT IMPACT ON THEIR HEALTH AND UTILITY” (Helmuth, Philipe, Dario, & Pierre, 2008, p. 3 & 4).
The income level of people differs from others and the idea behind why they consume alcohol and tobacco is good for them and makes them happy compare to their health state and the cost. A lot of people only look at the happiness which the consumption of alcohol and tobacco bring to them despite the fact that they know the implications which might happened in future such as the physical harm to the user, the drug’s potential for addiction and the impact on society of drug use.
There is another study which affirms that alcohol and tobacco taxes are a reliable source of revenue both economically and politically. “Sin Taxes” have the backing because it is considered a fairly defensible considering that, the taxes encompasses on individuals who consume substances such as alcohol and tobacco which have been proven to be addictive. In the study it stated that “A more popular proposal is to increase the federal excise taxes on alcohol and tobacco, it has been suggested in congress that, the revenue raised through these additional taxes be earmarked for funding a 1.3 billion dollars shortfall in drug rehabilitation programs” (Boyd & Seldon 1991, p.1).
The Term Paper on Heart Disease Alcohol Consumption Health
Position Statement: In recent years, alcohol has been reported as a beneficial addition to the everyday diet of Americans to assist in the prevention of heart disease. These reports and articles, siting recent studies conducted by acclaimed institutional facilities, often justify moderate drinking and misinterpret the information and research. It is true that certain types of alcohol have been ...
Looking at the idea behind the tax increase on alcohol and tobacco, the increase is in the right direction since it is going to help the people who consume these sin products regardless of the consequences they know will suffer later in life. Looking at the economic situation now, the increase will reduce the number of people who would have indulged in the use of these products, especially teens.
Another article that supports the government to increase taxes on alcohol and tobacco products is the “The wages of “Sin” Perhaps Should Be More Excise Taxes” (Blustein, 1987).
By making alcohol and tobacco products the main tax attraction; it is going to minimize the rate of traffic accidents and deaths on our roads due to drunken driving, and an increase in cigarette prices will reduce the number of people between the ages 18 to 21 who smoke in our societies which will intend minimize second hand smoking which causes coronary heart disease, reduced blood flow by narrowing the blood vessels, lung cancer, stomach cancer, cancer of the throat, kidney cancer, sudden infant death syndrome, etc. This article states that “Studies of teen-age drunken driving indicate that if the real excise tax on beer were at its 1951 level, an estimated 1,000 fewer deaths per year would result, primarily of persons aged 18 to 21,” the report states”(Blustein, 1987, p. 8).
This data shows clearly that, if sin taxes on alcohol and tobacco levies are increased, our roads are going to safer than it is todays because of the dropped of people who will quit the habit and intend reduce the cost of medical care cost. Taxes on unhealthy practices such as alcohol and tobacco will surely generate enough revenue for the government and also discourage bad habits, and if not stopped the revenue will be used to offset medical costs caused by these unhealthy practices.
For better or for worse, sin taxes on alcohol and tobacco have suffered a lot when it comes to taxes on goods and services while it is for a good cause, the government can look at other sin taxes like junk foods, gambling, pornography, and sugary soft drinks because all these goods and services have some negative effects on the individuals and the society as a whole. Junk foods are the major cause of obesity which causes a lot of sickness such as diabetes, coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, cataracts, gout, etc. thereby increasing health care cost utilization. A study by Centers for Disease Control and prevention (CDC) states that “Obesity rates double for adults triple for children in the past 20 years”. Pornography has its own way of increasing health care cost by way of group sex among teens which causes sexually transmitted diseases. Pornographic materials have become easily accessible on the web and one cannot deny the fact that adolescents of today are being put in danger through pornographic materials which are easy to come and these have serious effects on the youth because they would try to put into practice what they see but do it in the wrong way which will lead to sexually transmitted diseases such as Bacterial Vaginosis (BV), Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Hepatitis which is viral, Herpes, Syphilis, Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID), and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) which develops into Acquire Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS).
The Essay on Alcohol Drugs And Tobacco Their Effects On Pregnancy
Alcohol and drugs -- including marijuana, nicotine, and certain medications -- can temporarily reduce sperm quality. Also, environmental toxins, including pesticides and lead, may be to blame for some cases of infertility. Drugs and Surgery Depending on what the tests turn up, different treatments are recommended. Eighty to 90 percent of infertility cases are treated with drugs or surgery.Therapy ...
According to the Centers for Disease Control and prevention (CDC) “ there are about 20 million new infections in the United States each year, costing the American healthcare system nearly $16 billion in direct medical costs alone and America’s youth shoulder a substantial burden of these infections”. This clearly shows that pornography also has adverse effects on the increasing costs of medical care. Gambling which is addictive is just like drugs, has psychological effects on the human brain such as anxiety, headaches, palpitation, tremors, stress-related symptoms, especially depression all depend on medicine to treat it thereby increasing the cost of medical care. Gambling which is considered to be similar to the effects of stimulant drugs with excitement of good feelings associated with its dangers, causing natural high (Macnair, C. Dr., 2010).
Soft drinks which is another contributory factor to obesity, type two diabetes, cancers, high blood pressure, stroke, sleep apnea, and respiratory problems especially among children as an effect on medical care cost so if all these social vices affect costs of health care, why should the government target only alcohol and tobacco? The law makers should study other sin taxes in addition to alcohol and tobacco because “Alcohol and tobacco have long been subject to sin taxes, at both the state and federal levels” (Dorsey 2010, p. 1) for far too long and it is about time the government look at taxes on every goods and services that in the long run impact on our health care system thereby causing the federal government money.
The Research paper on Assess The Individual In A Health And Social Care Setting 2
The idea of professional or organizational assessment is an inherent feature of contemporary practice in care services. Professional or organizational assessment represents the entry of an intentionally rational and systematic approach to the encounter between a homes Care manager, social worker, other professionals and people seeking help or services, who may be individuals, couples, families, ...
While sin taxes are supposed to generate revenue for the government to reduce the costs of medical care, another school of taught see it as a way of denying the federal government the needed revenue being forced by the health sectors to subsidize medical care cost. “A lawmaker expressed belief that imposing high taxes on cigarettes and alcohol products, like what is being pushed by the Finance and Health departments, would only aggravate smuggling in the country and defeat the purpose of the excise tax reform bill in providing the government additional revenue” (Antiporda 2012, p. 1) so if sin taxes on alcohol and tobacco is accepted, black-market is going to be on the rise thereby denying the intentions of the increase. Indeed, while people use alcohol and tobacco products despite the health issues associated with the use of these products, why will the federal government not increase levies on pornography, junk foods, gambling, and sugary soft drinks to reduce the cost of medical care because they all increase the cost of health care utilization.
Perhaps it would be better if the federal government will simply dropped the sin taxes on alcohol and tobacco and look at putting more money into educating the general public about the health risks and damages involve in the use of alcohol and tobacco products and healthy living. There is a popular saying that goes “education is the key to success” and it is important to a person’s betterment and progress in this life, “enjoying good health comes from having a good education covering that aspect of life” (David, 2011, p. 2).
If the federal government is able to put measures by given facts and figures about drunk driving on our roads and show short documentaries of road accidents that is linked to alcohol in schools and the impact it has on the individual, the family, and the society as a whole, not forgetting the financial consequences it has on the cost of medical care. Furthermore, if the federal government uses part of the levies received from the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement to promote antismoking programs across the United States and the program is able to even save one person’s life, it is a progress as far as minimizing the increasing costs of health care is concern. Our health is arguably one of the most important aspects of life; healthy living is going to help us to continue to live without worrying about going to the clinic for medicine. “Being in the best possible health means we can do more and experience more in our lives thanks to having that health and not having to spend time battling obesity or fighting illnesses that stem from ignorance of leading a healthy lifestyle” (David, 2011, p. 2).
The Term Paper on Health and Safety in Social Care 2
1.1 List legislation relating to general health and safety in a sociel care setting. Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (also referred to as HSWA, the HSW Act, the 1974 Act or HASAWA) is the primary piece of legislation covering occupational health and safety in Great Britain. The Health and Safety Executive, with local authorities (and other enforcing authorities) is responsible for enforcing ...
In conclusion, I will say that, the solution to the increasing costs of medical care is to educate people about the importance of healthy living and the dangers and damages of alcohol and tobacco.
References
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Taxing Sin Goods and Subsidizing
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Blustein, P. (1987).
The wages of “Sin” Perhaps Should Be More Excise Taxes—White House
The Essay on Tax the Sin to Save the Sinner
Surely no one would doubt that alcohol and tobacco are being consumed in huge quantities all around the world. It is particularly true in developing countries such as my home country of Vietnam and its neighbors with tobacco and alcohol. Along with this consumption, many health and social problems exist, affecting many millions of people planet wide. The United States is a country already plagued ...
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In Defense of “Sin Taxes”: Tax Policy, Virtue Ethics, and Behavioral
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Soaring “Sin” Taxes Can Worsen Smuggling. Tribune Business news
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