Don't take a ride on this cancerstick.
While soliciting ideas for this blog post via Facebook, friends named the standard NYC “pests:” MTA fare hikes, cramped quarters making for a chaotic lifestyle, and, uh, traditionally fratty attire being frowned upon in some clubs.
But the one that got the biggest response was someone bringing up cigarette prices. (Interestingly, it sparked some discussion among two non-smokers.)
After doing some research, I found that the city passed a measure this past July to raise prices to $11 a pack. (Outside of the city, packs will cost around $9.20 each.) This corroborates with my Brooklyn-dwelling friend’s basic observation: He claimed to see them sold in the $10-$15 range, usually leveling out around $12.
Previous to July 1, the last increase occurred in March 2009, and pushed the price of an NYC pack to at least $9.
For people smoking a pack a day, this new measure raises costs from $250 a month to $300. Could even Don Draper market that as a good thing?
Duh, he's Don Fucking Draper.
How do YOU feel about rising costs of cigarettes?
