Up in Smoke

I, for one, whole-heartedly support the cigarette tax. I consider it a tax on stupidity. Anybody stupid enough to risk cancer, emphesema, and other nastiness and rude enough to expose others to it, deserves to pay and arm and a leg for their death-sticks. (NOTE: My grandfather died after a decade of misery that resulted directly from 50+ years of smoking. Depsite this, his sons still smoke.) If nicotine really is as addictive as smokers will say when confronted about their stupid habit (and I suspect it is), then it should be a controlled substance.

States Brace for Cigarette Backlash
By DAVID CRARY

"As state after deficit-ridden state ratchets up cigarette taxes, authorities are bracing for some unwelcome consequences in the form of more aggressive smuggling and bolder use of the Internet as a tax-evading tobacco shop."

"Never before have so many states — 17 this year alone — approved cigarette-tax hikes in such a short time. Anti-smoking advocates call it a win-win situation, enabling states to reduce smoking and budget deficits simultaneously."