Permian Basin smokers not frightened by the prices, keep lighting up
Published on May 11, 2009 6:57 AM
Despite the number of calls to the Texas State Smoking Quitline jumped by almost 600 percent during the first month after the federal cigarette tax was increased, Permian Basin cigarette retailers admit that high prices simply made smokers rage with anger instead of desired drop in regional smoking rates.
"They would buy them regardless of the price since it brings them pleasure and joy," said Joseph Gatlin, the owner of Tobacco and Booze store in Midland.
Gatlin, who is as well the member of the Texas Tobacco Retailers Association, stated that some of his regular customers have switched to discount brands of cigarettes, but the average volume of purchases has not changed significantly in spite of the sharp price hike.
According to Texas Tobacco Retailers Association the average price for the pack of cigarettes jumped to $6 in local stores since the latest tax increase went into effect last month.
Puffing on his Newport just outside a convenience store in Odessa, Richard Jefferson admitted he was shocked by the tax increase and is still frustrated about this rather ridiculous situation when he has been forced to pay enormous prices for his habit in order to fund medical care for children. However, he said he was not thinking about giving up.
"I've been lighting up for almost half a century now, and they would not force me to give up my habit by no means," he mentioned. "I will do what I want to do."
Supporters of tax increase and anti-smoking activists, in their turn state that the price increase and indoor smoking ban contributed to a severe decline in national smoking rates.
However, the Permian Basin area reports confirm that this region’s smoking rates are 5 percent higher than in other parts of Texas. According to last year statistics, the average rate of smokers in Texas was 18.1 percent whereas the same rates in the Permian Basin were as high as 23.4 percent.
Judging by this data the health authorities of the counties located in this region will have to put their soul out in order to make local smoking rates drop.
In order to trigger the decline in regional smoking rates, Texas Department of Public Health has given additional funding to the local Quitline program that would provide free nicotine gums and patches for the residents of Midland, Lea, Ector and other counties included in the Basin region.
Therefore, in accordance with West Texas Quitline coordinators, in March 74 calls have been registered in Ector County; 31 in Lea County and 18 in Midland.
The volume of calls registered in the last two weeks of April has sink a little bit since Texas residents got accustomed to the increased prices, although the volume of daily calls is still higher comparing to previous years. Another reason for the increased volume of calls to Quitline is explained by the fact that it usually takes at least four attempts for an average smoker to quit permanently.
When she understood that her pack-a-day habit became as expensive as monthly car payment, Karla Barker decided to quit. She phoned the Quitline, received patches and successfully gave up smoking.
She is now working as a volunteer for the West Texas office of Tobacco-free Kids and helps other people to give up. Barker said that persuading people to give up is vital for their own health and for the health of those innocent people who are exposed to second-hand smoke.
Meantime, those smokers who are still lighting up, despite the efforts of numerous health organizations, admit that they are aware of all the health complications related to their habit, but claim that it should not be a government's matter to persuade them to give up by imposing enormous taxes instead of occupying with their own problems, among which is the recession that left millions jobless.
"Why are they pocking their noses in my life" Richard Jefferson asked. "It was my own choice to start smoking and it should be my own choice to give up, not their initiative.
Deborah Burrows as well admitted to be frustrated by the price increase and said that she started asking her friends and relatives to buy her cigarettes each time they go to the neighboring New Mexico where the carton of average cigarettes costs around $25-30 less than in Texas because the state taxes are higher in Texas.
As regards Richard Jefferson, he said that in case the prices would be increased once again it still would not make him quit, since he would simple switch to online purchases.
