So, we all know the FDA is against Personal Vaporizers as a secession tool.
But lets look at a few different agendas that would be hurt in the long run if smokers quit.
Social security. How you may ask? Well, consider the current plight. We have fewer people contributing, and more people starting to use their benefits. The quicker we kick to bucket, the less benefits we will use, leaving more in the pot.
The A.M.A. Now this one might surprise you. Doctors as individuals can see the benefits of a patient quitting smoking. But the profession as a whole will be seriously hurt.
People who dont smoke no longer suffer all the smoking related illnesses. They will not see their doctor as often, resulting in less office visit fees, less pharmaceuticals prescribed(thats another blog entry in itself), less expensive machine use for diagnosis, etc...
When patients see less of their doctors, they see less referrals to specialists. This results in hospitals letting medical staff "go", and increases the cost for the not as often used machines. It could result in offices consolidating, instead of expanding. Medicine is big business. It will defend itself. It will use PACs. It will do what it feels necessary to survive, even if it goes against its moral being.
Most all of government agencies in one way or another see funds from sin taxes supporting their payroll. If your not paying sin tax, they will again downsize and lose jobs. Though individuals within the agencies may voice that they support the non-smoking methods, the group as a whole cannot afford for masses to quit. And if Americans pay less sin taxes to support the agencies, the agencies will be forced to look elsewhere for a source of funding- hence taxing the virtue of quitting, or at least the attempt to quit.
Those seeking to quit and those who already have, are a minority. They do not have the numbers to push through government fair practices. We have few champions. Those we do have can generally afford the Virtue Tax. Yes, I am labeling the tax on tobacco Harm Reduction products a VIRTUE TAX. It is a virtue to conquer a bad habit.
What CAN we do? I have no idea yet on a good strategy. But I wont quit trying to come up with one...
But lets look at a few different agendas that would be hurt in the long run if smokers quit.
Social security. How you may ask? Well, consider the current plight. We have fewer people contributing, and more people starting to use their benefits. The quicker we kick to bucket, the less benefits we will use, leaving more in the pot.
The A.M.A. Now this one might surprise you. Doctors as individuals can see the benefits of a patient quitting smoking. But the profession as a whole will be seriously hurt.
People who dont smoke no longer suffer all the smoking related illnesses. They will not see their doctor as often, resulting in less office visit fees, less pharmaceuticals prescribed(thats another blog entry in itself), less expensive machine use for diagnosis, etc...
When patients see less of their doctors, they see less referrals to specialists. This results in hospitals letting medical staff "go", and increases the cost for the not as often used machines. It could result in offices consolidating, instead of expanding. Medicine is big business. It will defend itself. It will use PACs. It will do what it feels necessary to survive, even if it goes against its moral being.
Most all of government agencies in one way or another see funds from sin taxes supporting their payroll. If your not paying sin tax, they will again downsize and lose jobs. Though individuals within the agencies may voice that they support the non-smoking methods, the group as a whole cannot afford for masses to quit. And if Americans pay less sin taxes to support the agencies, the agencies will be forced to look elsewhere for a source of funding- hence taxing the virtue of quitting, or at least the attempt to quit.
Those seeking to quit and those who already have, are a minority. They do not have the numbers to push through government fair practices. We have few champions. Those we do have can generally afford the Virtue Tax. Yes, I am labeling the tax on tobacco Harm Reduction products a VIRTUE TAX. It is a virtue to conquer a bad habit.
What CAN we do? I have no idea yet on a good strategy. But I wont quit trying to come up with one...
