Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2007

Is tax too much? Then quit smoking

To the author of "Tax their booze, not our cigarettes": Are you serious? You're on a fixed income and spending $4 (roughly) on cigs is OK, but $2 more would just do you in? And yet, if that increase in expense does happen, you want that additional $2 to go only toward health care for you and your family when "smoker-related problems" occur? Believe me (and the American Cancer Society, and the surgeon general), those problems will occur.

Here's an idea: Stop smoking altogether and save a multitude of dollars.

You are right: A person shouldn't have to shoulder the burden of paying health care reform taxes simply because they have an addiction. But they shouldn't have to pay to slowly kill themselves, either. So, consider this a coupon to save yourself up to $6 off your next pack of cigarettes!

MORGAN STRELKA

Modesto