Cigarette Sales May be Down

Source from:  htrnews.com February 3, 2008 02/04/2008

But gas station workers say decrease hasn't hurt overall revenue of stores Despite momentary panic when smokers realized their cigarette costs would hike by 1 a pack this year, area gas station workers are saying revenues haven't been as deeply impacted as expected. After one month, it seems area smokers are buying fewer packs and cartons ?but many are spending the leftover cash, too. "Store revenue didn't change," said Mike Patel, owner of the Marathon Family Pantry on Washington Street in Manitowoc, as well as a Citgo station in Manitowoc and one in Two Rivers. "Actually, my sales went up a little from the previous year at the same time." Still, the number of packs and cartons sold has decreased. Patel said many of his customers have "cut down" on smoking, though some who initially said they would quit Jan. 1 have failed to kick the habit. "They said they can't afford this and they quit for a couple weeks, but then they started smoking again," he said. "Now they're back to smoking, just not as much as they used to." Muhammad Javeed also has seen a decline in the number of cigarettes sold at his Express Mart convenience stores on Memorial Drive in Two Rivers and North Eighth Street in Manitowoc. "The first few days, it dropped drastically," Javeed said. "The hike in price is affecting people to not spend much money on tobacco." On the other side of town, Popp's University BP Manager Jodi Popp said she hasn't recorded a cut in sales at her 10th and Viebahn Street store. "I'm still ordering the same as what I did before," she said of her cigarette stock. "A few of my customers have said they were trying to quit, but I think sales are staying pretty much where they were." Still, Javeed said he's paying close attention to detail, even though "technically, it looks like more revenue is coming in now" at his stores. Because of the price jump, the dollar amount coming into the store appears high, he said, but the profit margin actually is less, as $1.77 in taxes is paid to the state on each pack. "We are concerned, but I feel like this is also the whole economy," Javeed said. "I would like things (to) stay good so we can meet our expense, too. We look to our profits so we can pay off our bills." But with the Breathe Free Wisconsin Act awaiting a floor vote in the Senate, it seems the month-old cigarette tax is only one step toward cleaning up Wisconsin's air. A six-week media campaign launched Tuesday is now encouraging state residents to tell their stories of secondhand smoke. "It doesn't take much and it doesn't take long for secondhand smoke to impact your life," said Nicole Resch, Manitowoc County Tobacco Control coordinator. "The surgeon general has reported that there is no risk-free exposure to secondhand smoke and that the only way to protect everyone is to have policies that eliminate smoking indoors." Two of the campaign's radio spots will run statewide, while others run regionally depending on the storyteller's hometown. Listeners are encouraged to share their stories by calling (866) 947-8679 or visiting www.mysmokefreestory.com. "Everyone has the right to breathe clean, smoke-free air," said Kevin R. Hayden, secretary of the state Department of Health and Family Services. "With this campaign, we are going beyond the statistics on secondhand smoke, and we're showing its human cost. With both Minnesota and Illinois now smoke-free, it's time to act before we become the ashtray of the Midwest." Enditem