UPS, in an agreement with the New York state's attorney, will no longer ship cigarettes to individuals in the United States. The agreement, it is said, is part of the ongoing efforts of federal and state governments to cut down on underage smoking and tax avoidance. Which do you suppose is the most important to all those regulators? Here's a clue:
States lose more than $1 billion a year in tax revenue from Internet tobacco sales, according to the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.
Oh, and which oufit do you suppose is the only one left still shipping cigarettes to individuals? Yes, the United States Postal Service, a situation the state's atorney calls "an embarrassment." I guess.
