Massachusetts seen inflating gains in tobacco fight, reports the Boston Globe. While lawmakers have been taking credit for helping to curb smoking, the facts paint a very different picture:

Massachusetts, with the most expensive antitobacco campaign in history, has the third-lowest rate of smoking in the United States.

The campaign's supporters rarely mention that smoking was declining here before the antismoking campaign began in late 1993, or that the rate of decline has actually slowed since.

Most of the drop in smoking hasn't been caused by the once-ubiquitous antismoking ads, but by increases in the state cigarette tax, which has skyrocketed from 26 cents to $1.51 per pack.

I have to ask why a state should be permitted to seize tax money with the threat of lethal force, and use said tax money to pressure people to give up legal behavior they deem irresponsible and inappropriate.

If people want to smoke, let them. Contrary to what anti-smoking nazis claim, group health costs do not decline when people quit smoking. In fact, less smokers means more people hanging around into their 90s to take advantage of health care and retirement benefits. Not to mention that smokers already pay higher insurance premiums.