Keep Smoking - It's For the Children!

I'm glad I never smoked:

WASHINGTON -- However they satisfy their nicotine cravings, tobacco users are facing a big hit as the single largest federal tobacco tax increase ever takes effect Wednesday.

Tobacco companies and public health advocates, longtime foes in the nicotine battles, are trying to turn the situation to their advantage. The major cigarette makers raised prices a couple of weeks ago, partly to offset any drop in profits once the per-pack tax climbs from 39 cents to $1.01.

Medical groups see a tax increase right in the middle of a recession as a great incentive to help persuade smokers to quit.

Tobacco taxes are soaring to finance a major expansion of health insurance for children. President Obama signed that health initiative soon after taking office.

Way back in 1983 I remember going to Disneyland with a friend from work who smoked, and when he arrived there he was hopping mad. He'd just paid $1 for a pack of cigarettes and he swore he was going to quit because he'd never pay that much for smokes. I wonder what he thinks today?

We all know that tobacco is a dangerous product. If used as designed it will give you health problems and may even kill you. The government knows this better than anyone else since they've done all the studies.

However, tobacco is a cash cow because it has an advantage that other products do not - it's addictive. Tobacco users often cannot quit the product without going through very adverse physical reactions. It's the perfect vehicle for ever-increasing taxation. Smokers are like battered wives who refuse to prosecute their husbands. You can keep raising the taxes and they'll keep paying.

Bottom line: There is absolutely no incentive for the government to ban the use of tobacco products. It would kill off to many government health programs.

So for all you smokers out there - keep it up. It's for the children.