Kools and Newports were for black people and lower-class whites. Camels were for procrastinators, those who wrote bad poetry, and those who put off writing bad poetry. Merits were for sex addicts, Salems were for alcoholics, and Mores were for people who considered themselves to be outrageous but really weren't. David Sedaris
About This Quote

These are all slang terms for cigarettes. These are all slang terms for cigarettes. Black people, the poor, and the lower-class had more access to tobacco. They tended to have lower incomes and were excluded from certain social groups.

It was also expensive for black people to buy cigarettes because it was taxed at a higher rate than goods that were not perceived as luxury goods. The middle class was less likely to smoke tobacco because it was taxed at a lower rate than luxury goods, and because smoking was more prevalent in the upper class. The wealthy class was not heavily taxed on their tobacco purchases, so they had more of them.

White people, on the other hand, were not largely discriminated against by the government on tobacco purchases or on tobacco taxes. This made it easier for them to afford cigarettes. Thus, the wealthier classes were far more likely to smoke compared to their lower-class counterparts.

Source: When You Are Engulfed In Flames

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