"AND who pays the premiums of public servants? And the higher premiums of said civil servant smokers? Magic gnomes?"
Your lack of knowledge regarding compensation packages is showing. The smoker pays the higher premium. Every compensation package offers a minnimum level of coverage that is paid by the employer, any cost above that will result in less pay. By your same logic, we should ensure that they not hire people with wives or children. The cost born by the government for these higher premiums is funded by tax payers. Tax payers shouldn't be forced to bear the cost of these choices.
"Wrong. You have no gaurantee to "reasonable prices" on bad habits. You want to smoke - fine - pay for it."
Now do you advocate price dictation by the government? I do have a right to "reasonable prices" for any product that is privately manufactured and privately sold to consumers. The consumer decides what is "reasonable". Where in the constitution do we not limit the govnernment? Where do we give them the authority to "control" the prices of products they deem to be "not good behaviour"?
"Surely you're not equating the Holocaust with a sales tax on cigarettes, right?"
You are either very simple minded or you are purposefully ignoring the oft quoted writing. I excerpted it. If you need the full text I will search for it and provide it. It is often used when discussing the, "it doesn't affect me so why should I care?" crowd of which you are a member.
By your same logic, we should ensure that they not hire people with wives or children. No - wives and children are not bad habits - not a vice.
Now do you advocate price dictation by the government?
That's not my position. Prices are dictated by the whatever the market will bear.
Where do we give them the authority to "control" the prices of products they deem to be "not good behaviour"?
There's no "price control," only a sales tax.
You are either very simple minded or you are purposefully ignoring the oft quoted writing. I excerpted it. If you need the full text I will search for it and provide it. It is often used when discussing the, "it doesn't affect me so why should I care?" crowd of which you are a member.
Actually, I was asking about your point with the quote to make sure you weren't simple. It's not about "this doesn't affect me, so I don't care" - It's a about a nasty addiction that causes more health problems by itself than any other known substance and when I have to pay for the expensive health care associated with smoking, then it does directly affect me. Your quote is irrelevant to my point.