- Joined
- Mar 16, 2009
- Messages
- 47,457
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- Location
- Dixie
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- Male
- Political Leaning
- Independent
Yeah, it's a conspiracy by "Big Soda" :cuckoo:
Umm, smoking has gone down.
Smoking went down.... to a point. There are still LOTS of people who smoke. Many have gone to roll-your-own, or cigars or pipes which are not as heavily taxed yet. Those who were going to quit over price mostly already have. Those who remain aren't likely to quit, but simply engage in tax-avoidance behaviors like rolling your own cigs at 1/3rd the price. Tax that and they'll find another way around it.
I've noticed a lot more young people smoking in recent years than was the case about a decade ago... wonder if it has anything to do with the societal demonization of tobacco, leading it to be one of those "alluring taboo" items. :shrug:
Bottom line... it isn't government's business to make healthy decisions FOR me. If it were, they'd send me a menu every week and tell me that was what I had to eat. You want that?