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It may not be so clear. Insurance rates are typically different for smokers and non-smokers. Perhaps it would be best for government to stay out of our private lives and the decisions that we make, to the extent possible. History teaches us well that prohibition doesn't work and often has horrible unintended consequences.
Most people get their insurance from their employer, however Medicare usually is the one that pays for a lifetime of smoking ills. No one said anything about prohibition except you. Cigarettes should be as difficult to obtain as alcohol and the price should be at least $10 a pack.
Cigarettes kill and costs taxpayers huge sums of money. You cannot say that about any other non regulated single product as you tried and failed to do.
What do you think about soft drinks? Mayor Bloomberg (NYC) thinks they should be regulated.
Most people get their insurance from their employer, however Medicare usually is the one that pays for a lifetime of smoking ills. No one said anything about prohibition except you. Cigarettes should be as difficult to obtain as alcohol and the price should be at least $10 a pack.
Of course, ten dollars a pack is effectively prohibition. High taxes are why we have people running cigarettes from NC to more expensive places.
Cigarettes kill and costs taxpayers huge sums of money. You cannot say that about any other non regulated single product as you tried and failed to do.
Wrong. They pay more in through taxes and die younger.
You seem to be arguing that smoking should be taxed and regulated basically out of existence, because smoking costs the taxpayers money. Moreover, you seem to hold the notion that you know what's right, and people with your point of view should make the rules for everybody else.
This kind of thinking is exactly what gave us prohibition of alcoholic beverages, which was a complete failure, and which enabled organized crime to flourish in the US. You can see the same mentality and results in our war against drugs. The savagery of crime that results is simply staggering.
Here's a summary: (a) Some people want to smoke (I don't, and never have). (b) Perhaps smoking costs taxpayers something, but it's certain that this cost is less than the cost of, say, single-parent illegitimate children, and related social problems. (c) The most important factor, however, is that people should mind their own business, and the government should keep its paws off of our lives to the greatest extent possible. If you don't want to smoke, then don't.
You seem to be arguing that smoking should be taxed and regulated basically out of existence, because smoking costs the taxpayers money. Moreover, you seem to hold the notion that you know what's right, and people with your point of view should make the rules for everybody else.
This kind of thinking is exactly what gave us prohibition of alcoholic beverages, which was a complete failure, and which enabled organized crime to flourish in the US. You can see the same mentality and results in our war against drugs. The savagery of crime that results is simply staggering.
Here's a summary: (a) Some people want to smoke (I don't, and never have). (b) Perhaps smoking costs taxpayers something, but it's certain that this cost is less than the cost of, say, single-parent illegitimate children, and related social problems. (c) The most important factor, however, is that people should mind their own business, and the government should keep its paws off of our lives to the greatest extent possible. If you don't want to smoke, then don't.
BS, smoking cigarettes is a national health epidemic.
BS, smoking cigarettes is a national health epidemic.
So you say! Others might say the same about junk food and soft drinks, or about polio and measles shots, or about genetically modified food, or about any number of other causes . . .
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