The “lowest-income Americans” are much more likely to smoke, and much less likely to have private insurance. Obviously many of those who will develop smoking-related illnesses will rely on the government healthcare system. In the vast majority of cases, smoking does not occur by accident nor by force. People choose to engage in a dangerous behavior, and in many cases those of us who have chosen not to, end up footing their hospital bills.
If the government can discriminate against “the rich,” why not discriminate against “the smokers,” and make them pay “their fair share”? Why not establish a system whereby everyone who buys cigarettes must have health insurance? In most states you can’t drive a car without insurance, what about smoking?
It’s not a question of imposing a non-smoking moral agenda, it’s a question of being respoinsible for the outcome of freely participating in an inherently self-destructive, behavior. You can chose to light up as often as you want, so long as you’re willing to pay for the fruits of your own excesses.
