This is what we have in Toledo now, on a regular basis-thanks to "Bob" 'Tax' Taft & the RHINOS who control the state-although I imagine this same scenario is being played out all across Ohio-oh, and the cop that makes comments in this article is full of $&%t-it's NOT subsiding, it's still going on here on an almost daily basis.

http://toledofreepress.com/?id=2159

Maybe the children are stealing the cigarettes since they can't buy them. They can then sell them at school or just store them for their own use.

In his State of the State speech last night the govenor of Indiana proposed a tax increase of 25 cents per pack of cigarettes "for the sake of the children" again. Some ass told him the price of cigarettes effects children purchasing cigarettes. Who has the most disposable income in our society, the children? Cigarettes go up in price and they just ask their parents for an increase in their allowance.

I am surprised that tobacco shipments from the manufacturers aren't being high jacked on a regular basis.

As to health care, aren't they getting the Tobacco Settlement? Smokers wouldn't be in such poor health if they didn't have to spend so much time in the weather to smoke. Smokers have to allocate their time to eat faster in order to have the time to find a place to smoke. Meaning they eat fast so they can stand outside in the cold and rain to smoke. Based on current bans those places are in the middle of the street and in addition to any pollutants they ingest from smoking they are also inhaling the exhausts of vehicle traffic. Little wonder they are sick.

Also, how is it determined that medical costs are smoking related or that those served are smokers? In most cases it is just a perentage of total costs without regard for reality. The models used for those statistics are guarded better than Fort Knox.

"A lot of the uncompensated medical care that the state has to pay for is treating sick smokers."

Yeah, and a lot more goes for treating sick nonsmokers.

Exactly what tax are they paying their entire lives for their 15 extra years (CDC estimate) of ailments, diseases and doctor visits?

Frankly I feel that estimates of life time illness are selling tools for the health and isurance industries. Buy insurance to pay the bills from the medical profession, buy insurance to supplant your income while you are recuperating. Go to the doctor so he can determine what you are enjoying that can harm you. At these same visits allow the doctor to determine if yu are his next lottery win. If a doctor finds something to fixate on he has a pill for you to take for the rest of your life - it won't cure you - it will just keep funding the drug companies research into more things that they have a pill for.

Why is the medical community so interested in transplants? Because each one is like an annunity policy paying for their expensive lifestyle. A transpalnt patient will spend a large part of the rest of their lives visiting the doctor and taking drugs.