Have You Hugged a Smoker Today?

"Imagine a smoke-free America." We are asked to do such by the pompous anti-smoking bunch; well, I'll describe a smoke-free America from an economic viewpoint. Bankrupt! Both state and federal governments would be broke and scrambling for new revenue streams, and in all likelihood, we would find their hand in our pocket. "No way!" you say, "but what about all the ads describing the costs of allowing smokers to exist?". They are wrong. There are two big reasons why we need to hug smokers and thank them for keeping our governments solvent:

1) They die early. Smokers go to their mansion in the sky an average of 10 years earlier than non-smokers. That is 10 years less of Social Security payments and medicare coverage. If your tired of ballooning budgets and out of control entitlement programs, kick someone over 80.

2) They pay alot of taxes. In fiscal year 2009 they payed 28.6 billion to the state and federal governments. This does not include the savings provided by the generosity of their early departures.

It is estimated that we save 800 billion annually in unpaid SS and medicare benefits. This will more than cover the inflated estimates of what smokers cost our society. Add that to the hard cash they 'cough' up every year, and it becomes very tempting for the government to encourage new smokers.

This is a model that could be used to balance the current federal deficit: find an addictive, self-destructive behavior and tax it viciously.

Today, when you pass by a smoker, don't click your tongue and act offended. Instead, you should go up to them, thank them for their service, and if they don't seem too unstable, hug them.