Taxing Taxes?

Is it legal or even right that the government Taxes taxes? Ill try to explain what i mean and give an example. Cigarettes and Gas have Federal and state and sometimes local taxes put on them. So lets say a pack of cigarettes costs $2.00 (please not i am not sure what actually taxes are) now the federal government adds a $1.80 tax to it so now it costs $3.80. And lets say there is a $2.00 state tax on cigarettes now the pack will cost $5.80. So why is it that when you buy that $5.80 pack of cigarettes you are paying sales tax on the $5.80 and not just sales tax on the original cost of $2.00 (my state has sales tax).

As long as they tax YOUR vice and not my vices, why should I care?

:sarcasm:

That way it's not taxes

:sarcasm:

i miss the military everything on base is tax free

filed refunds for our clients. After due delay, the State paid the refunds, but the Legislature then changed the law.

had forms to file for refunds.