Underscoring our point about cigarettes and ideological blinders is the letter in today's Post written by Louise Vetter, CEO of the American Lung Association of New York. Ms. Vetter tells us that "teens are price sensitive and will think twice before buying an expensive pack of smokes."
Of course she's right, which is precisely why they will use their computer skills to buy online, or will simply find a street connection on almost any New York corner. She's also right when she says, "A tax that helps stop kids from smoking and saves taxpayer dollars is a tax that deserves all of our support." When that tax actually is proposed the Alliance will join with the Lung association in supporting it. (Oh, and just what does she mean by a tax "that saves taxpayer dollars"? Hello George Orwell!)