cigarettes

[Amy Z]

Joywitch reported:

> Philip Morris (the tobacco company) just put out a report about the 
> financial advantages of cigarette smoking which points out that 
> cigarette smoking SAVES the government money, because people who 
> smoke tend to die sooner than people who dont, so the government 
> doesnt have to support as many retirees (pensioners in the UK).

and ranted:
 
> Wow.  Maybe we should also get rid of all the environmental 
standards 
> and let power plants and factories pollute some more, so that more 
> children will die of asthma-related problems.  After all, children 
> are awfully expensive to educate.  And if we eliminate stoplights, 
> street signs, and traffic laws in really poor neighborhoods, just 
> think how many more poor people who collect welfare would die in car 
> accidents!  The government would save a fortune!

Why don't we just require everyone to step off a cliff when he/she 
reaches 65?  The Grand Canyon would do nicely.

I also think Philip Morris is missing the boat with the impotence 
issue.  They could publicize the fact that smokers tend to conceive 
fewer children, so that they aren't burdening the system with their 
grubby little health-care-consuming, education-needing offspring.  
Think of the slogan potential:  Tobacco--it'll make you go limp with 
happiness!  Cigarettes: helping you and your partner get more sleep 
since 1643!

Amy Z