Here's an Idea: Smoking Licenses

I found this on some guy from Atlanta's Blog: Bad Monkey No Banana

Cigarette smokers are puffing away their nest eggs. An economist at Ohio State University found that the net worths of nonsmokers are roughly 50% higher than those of light smokers (less than a pack a day) and double the wealth of heavy smokers (more than a pack a day). The money gap grew by $410 for each year that a person continued to smoke. The wealth gap between smokers and nonsmokers was roughly equal to how much smokers spent on their habit, suggesting that smokers buy cigarettes with cash they would otherwise save, rather than with cash they would have spent on entertainment. There's only one recourse for smokers who wish to fatten their bank balances, researcher Jay Zagorsky tells The Washington Post: "Stop smoking."

Reminded me of something I thought of the other day, probably going to piss off some smokers out there, good.

We need to license smokers the same way we license drivers. People who decide they want to smoke need to apply for a license, and before they get it, they need to acknowledge that they know what they are doing will likely kill them, and those around them (maybe even passing up government health coverage for smoking related illnesses).

If someone is found smoking without a license, fine the crap out of them. Make stores check for the license before selling them. This could also reduce underage smoking. If a store is found to violate this law, take away their ciggarette selling privilage. Don't take any crap.

Use a demerrit system like for drivers. If someone is found doing something stupid, like smoking in a no smoking area, smoking in the doorways of buildings (those people really piss me off), throwing thier butts on the ground (My university is covered in like an inch of butts, it is disgusting), blowing smoke in peoples faces, or doing anything else in the category of stupid, take away points. Maybe they have 5 or 6 points and once they are gone suspend the liscense.

Also, people who can't afford it can be denied licenses. I can't believe those people who live in poverty, or students who complain they are poor, but still smoke two packs + a day. Smartten up. And people with young children who smoke around them. Give the kid a bloody chance.

Yeah, I'm sure there are a million loop holes in this. But I am just sick of the arrogance of smokers. Sure as they laws are right now, they have a right to smoke, but shouldn't my right to breath supercede their right to smoke near my exit from a building, or similar situations. And the litter. Someone needs to crack down on that.

I think my stance on smoking is clear, it is so stupid. Like the quote at the top says, it is a waste of money, if not a cancer on society, in more ways than one.

Well, I'm sure that won't be my last smoking complaint.