Curmudgeon's Corner
cur-mud-geon: anyone who hates hypocrisy and pretense and has the temerity to say so; anyone with the habit of pointing out unpleasant facts in an engaging and humorous manner
The Tobacco Conundrum
The tobacco conundrum continues because of and in spite of government intervention. On the one hand, government has done its best to outlaw the smoking of cigarettes in virtually any public environment indoor, and in some outdoor, locations. On the other hand, government subsidizes the growth of tobacco.
The free market has moved to ‘smokeless’ tobacco products since the demand for that tobacco product has increased due to the restrictions and taxes imposed on cigarettes. Government is perplexed over that now and wonders how it will control that segment of the market.
States have raised taxes on cigarettes to the point that Wisconsin gets $2.52 for every pack of cigarettes sold in the state. The state budget relies very heavily on this revenue source so the idea that it wants every person to no longer smoke cigarettes is suspect. If that were to happen, our state deficit would be much higher than it is today, and that is already way too high.
Then we have that tired old idea about personal liberties. Government is so perplexed when people don’t do what government tells them is good for them. Government doesn’t understand its own limitations…it seems to believe that its power is all encompassing.
Most people likely know they are potentially harming themselves and reducing their life expectancies by smoking cigarettes, and yet they continue. Those who try to quit are reportedly trying eight times before they get it done. I see many young smokers of both sexes, and that suggests that we grow a new market on a regular basis.
Might it be that we’ll continue to use tobacco no matter the form and no matter the cost and no matter the artificial impediments erected by government?
Might it be that government may’ve met its match in its attempt to have it both ways with tobacco?
Where is that point at which government becomes too controlling…oh, wait; we’ve already crossed that point some time ago, haven’t we?
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