It doesn't matter how poor we are or how dire the economy, some things are recession proof. Time and again, the research fluctuates slightly but tells the same story. Sin sells and it even has its own tax classification as a levy weighed upon activities society deems undesirable. As we wade through another year of tough times we examine how sin is doing in today's economy and look at some of the reasons why it remains resilient.
As the economy declines, jobs become scarcer and people's lives become more desperate. Overwhelmed by their situations people who can not afford therapy or self medicate with the only legal substance available to them. It has been proven that the overall sales of alcohol actually rise as the economy declines. During the prohibition era alcohol was deemed a social menace and made illegal. It wasn't long before the black market for alcohol developed which vastly increased the sales and distribution of alcohol, resulting in a sharp increase in crime and violence. The same black market trend seems to be occurring with tobacco today.
Even with the across the board tax increases placed upon tobacco products, this industry continues to thrive seemingly unaffected profit wise by the levy. Tobacco has a mild euphoric effect that calms the smoker thus reducing stress. But the overall adverse effects of tobacco use far outweigh this calming effect. Each year thousands die due to illnesses directly related to their tobacco use. Many more thousands are disabled as a result. Legislation, increased taxes, health warnings and even laws prohibiting smoking inside or near businesses have done little to reduce the use of tobacco. Even as experts report that tobacco sales are in decline, it does not account for the increasing black market for tobacco products that is developing as a result of the tax hikes.
Sex sells. It's a little known fact that the 108 billion dollar sex industry far overshadows the illegal profits of cocaine which earns a meager 70 billion. The sex industry includes online porn, magazine and video sales, prostitution/escorts, strip clubs and adult novelty products to just name a few. The selling of sex has become so prevalent on the internet that it is hardly even noticed anymore. It is completely accessible to anyone and everyone even without searching for it. As a nation, in only a decade, our children have gone from having virtually no access to hard core porn to becoming so saturated by sex advertising they are numb to it.
On a side note, a little known trend is developing on the social networks still too new to have been given a colorful cultural label. It is sometimes referred to as the "face trade" associating it specifically with Facebook, but occurs on any social media. Escorts post provocative images of themselves on their social media page and soon they have developed a large list of potential clients. Over the course of conversing with the escort, a meeting is arranged and the nature of that meeting is discretely made known.
Perhaps the most disturbing trend is the increase in firearm sales. As the economy declines people become more paranoid and fearful of others. They see crime increasing as those unable or unwilling to seek work resort to criminal means. Firearms sales increase as people arm themselves for protection. Those who arm themselves with criminal intent may have prior records preventing them from purchasing firearms themselves, but can typically acquire weapons and ammunition from an extensive black market for weapons. In fact, the practice of purchasing firearms legitimately and then reselling it for profit to those who can not legally obtain them is a lucrative criminal market. For this reason, laws recently passed now hold the registered purchaser accountable as well as the perpetrator when a weapon is used in a crime.
Sources:
- Business Pundit: The World’s Most Lucrative Business Markets
- Fox23: Prostitution on Facebook
- USA Today: Cigarette Tax National Association of Convenience Stores: Editorials Debates
- Illinois Homepage: As Economy Goes Down Drinking Goes Up
- Previously Posted on FullofKnowlege.comFriend me on Facebook! www.facebook.com
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