Life on the Road – Trucking News Blog

You just woke up. It’s 4 AM. All you want to do is light up. It was a rough night. You’re on a tight deadline. You climb into the drivers seat to light up your second cigarette of the morning. Is this you? It’s a real expensive and unhealthy habit. And, it’s only going to get worse, as states look for more “creative” way to collect revenue and there are less and less places to light up outside your truck.

The Federal tax on cigarettes back in April increased $1.01 a pack. In New York City, $5.25 in “government fees” are applied to the price of each pack. Around the country, the cost of a pack varies from as low as $4 to an current average of about $7. “Clearly New York City”, according to The New York Times, “is one of the most expensive places in the country to smoke.” A pack there sells now for $11.

As with the lack of any figures about how many truck drivers suffer from depression or are being treated for any type of mental illness or are alcoholics or use marijuanna, it is tough to know exactly how many smoke. From what I see OTR (over the road) many still do. I smoked at one time long ago, but my addiction is food not nicotine. I never really enjoyed it. I still smoke an occasional “illegal” Cuban.

Addicted truckers are trying to find cheaper “smokes” by buying from Indian Reservations, websites, Mexico, Canada and “other” sources. Believe it or not, according to the CDC, the Center for Disease Control (and Prevention), a 10 percent increase in the price of cigarettes reduces consumption by 3 percent to 5 percent. Have you decided to try and give it up?

You can find a cheap carton of cigarettes (like Berkley Kings) for $33.49 whereas a discounted carton of Camel/Kool Kings sells for about $57.49 online. Shipping is about $16.50 for three cartons. A trucker might be able to procure some Russian or Ukrainian smokes for about $12 a carton. I found a carton of “something “for $6, but who knows what it is.

Whatever the cost, it is one EXPENSIVE habit. It’s still, for now, a free country, smoke if you choose, but it’s certainly going to negatively effect your wallet and your health.

Photo credit:  http://www.afterimagegallery.com/evansmansmoking.htm, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camel_cigarettes, http://www.oxfordstudent.com/article_images/147/6373/smoking.jpg  ** Special mention to Ron Edwards  at After Image Gallery- his outstanding photograph of “MAN SMOKING – KRUM TX”  frames the post.