Smokers will help to offset economic woes
Have you noticed that smoke is in the air? And it's not the Indonesian forests but the local puff-addicts. Yes, smoking is in again, and the air smells of bloody nicotine.
To a certain extent, it is inevitable. With recession setting in and many people under financial, job security and related stress, the easy way out for many with be to pick up that white stick of garbage and suck on it for dear life. Or I mean, let it suck the life out of you. Of all the forms of stress control (e.g. exercising, taking a relaxing stroll, getting your life organised) I guess to many, inhaling and exhaling deadly toxins is probably the easiest and least tiring option, not that it really helps, does it?
The government collects $7.04 of tax per packet sold, the average smoker easily contributes over a hundred of dollars a month to the tax-man. Multiply that with the (ever-growing) number of smokers we have and it's probably close to a million a month. Add medical bills and we've got a thriving economy here that is self-sustaining.
This is the free-market at its best. A self-correcting system that doesn't require taxpayer money (except the smokers, but nobody's forcing them) and can be slowly tweaked to generate greater returns with minimal risks (i.e. increase it to $7.54 today and I guarantee the smoking will not stop).
Downside, non-smokers like us have to put up with the reek, nasty litter and second-hand smoke induced cancer. But then again, it's the smell of economic recovery and it might save us $700 billion. Smoke on!
To a certain extent, it is inevitable. With recession setting in and many people under financial, job security and related stress, the easy way out for many with be to pick up that white stick of garbage and suck on it for dear life. Or I mean, let it suck the life out of you. Of all the forms of stress control (e.g. exercising, taking a relaxing stroll, getting your life organised) I guess to many, inhaling and exhaling deadly toxins is probably the easiest and least tiring option, not that it really helps, does it?
The government collects $7.04 of tax per packet sold, the average smoker easily contributes over a hundred of dollars a month to the tax-man. Multiply that with the (ever-growing) number of smokers we have and it's probably close to a million a month. Add medical bills and we've got a thriving economy here that is self-sustaining.
This is the free-market at its best. A self-correcting system that doesn't require taxpayer money (except the smokers, but nobody's forcing them) and can be slowly tweaked to generate greater returns with minimal risks (i.e. increase it to $7.54 today and I guarantee the smoking will not stop).
Downside, non-smokers like us have to put up with the reek, nasty litter and second-hand smoke induced cancer. But then again, it's the smell of economic recovery and it might save us $700 billion. Smoke on!