Schnuck's To Stop Selling Cigarettes

Schnuck's announced today that the chain, including the store here in Carbondale, will stop selling all tobacco products next year. The company says it will take a hit in profits but sees the move as complementary to its growing focus on wellness. 

Smoking Ban Effect

Illinois imposed a ban on interior smoking in public buildings, including businesses, back in 2008, accompanied by much hue and cry and lamentations of disaster, proclamations of economic disaster and massive closings.  Since then, Carbondale has seen one bar, Gatsby's II close, for reasons other than the cigarette ban, and one new store devoted to cigarettes and cigars, as well as four vape shops. Doesn't sound as if the ban has had that much effect on bar business or cigarette demand.

Soda Sales Tax

Probably won't get enacted if Governor Rauner has anything to say about it but apparently a majority of Illinoisans favor a 1 cent sales tax on soda. Taxes like this are the preferred form of sales taxes, much like those on cigarettes. You don't want to pay the tax, don't buy the product. Unlike cigarettes, however, a 1 cent sales tax on soda is pretty small and it is likely that most soda consumers would even notice the increase. The increase is certainly not big enough to drive them across a nearby state border, the way that another jump in cigarette taxes would

Cigarette Tax

The new taxes proposed to fill the gap in the Illinois budget include a dollar a pack increase on cigarettes, nearly doubling the current tax level on them. While that won't affect locations in the state that are a couple of hours away from the border, cigarette sellers in cities closer to state lines will certainly see an impact as smokers drive the extra to save an extra $10 per carton in taxes. I already know people in C'dale who drive to Paducah to buy their smokes because of the tax differential and the extra buck will likely convince more heavy smokers to make the trip.

Smoke House

A new business, The Smoke House, looks to open soon in Murdale Shopping Center. From the sign in the window, it promises to offer discount cigarettes and tobacco. Going to be interesting to see how they compete with the even more discounted cigarettes just across the border in Kentucky. I know of a number of people willing to make the two hour round trip for the cheaper smokes.