Cigarette Tax Takes Effect

Well, the new 25-cent-a-pack tax on cigarettes is now in effect. I suppose I should feel flattered that as a smoker, the state of my lungs and the consequences of smoking were important enough to be put on the ballot, but I don’t feel flattered. I guess you could say I have my head in the clouds of cigarette smoke.

As I understand, much of this money is to be used for indigent emphysema patients in our already overburdened public health care system. As an registered nurse at Los Angeles County/USC Medical Center, I can tell you I see a lot more patients with alcoholic liver disease, with obesity and diabetes, and with coronary heart disease than I see patients with cigarette-related lung diseases.

How about increasing the tax on alcohol and McCholesterol burgers, and adding a tax on M&M;’s, Almond Joys, or Fruit Loops and Frosted Flakes, and all sugar-added cereals that lead to hyperactivity in children? Really, I could go on and on.

This increase won’t deter me from smoking; I’ll just have to cough up the extra money (pardon the pun). To all nonsmokers (pardon the pun again), why don’t you just butt out of my business?

OLIVIA A. SILENSKY

Los Angeles