New taxes on tobacco to burn big hole in consumers’ pockets

Vindy.com ^ | 4/1/09 | staff

[Publius6961]

I have been trying for about 5 years to find an article or column by Florence King, of which this is a part:

Miss King on smoking:
It's this: I think suicide qua suicide is weak and shameful, but maybe, if I just keep smoking, I can hasten my exit from this Walpurgisnacht called America and escape the mephitic cultural collapse that Nice-Nelly conservatism is powerless to stop.
This is probably wishful thinking in view of my family's medical history, but it points up another benefit of cigarettes we no longer hear about: consolation. Even the word is gone from the language now, but it was what came through in World War II newsreels showing weary soldiers and refugees lighting up. In their most despairing moments a cigarette was all they had, and increasingly I feel the same way.
There goes my chance at Keynote 2000, even if I work on my perkiness and arrange to rent a baby.

The 2000 reference suggests that this was written in 1999 or 2000, but no luck finding the entire original text.

[TigersEye]

Possibly proportional to the increase in bounty collected on fascist politicians.

I would like to contribute to that fund.

[Richard Kimball]

8th day on nicotine gum. So far, so good. Forty bucks for 170 pieces, about six pieces a day so far.

[ScottyinTN]

8th day on nicotine gum. So far, so good. Forty bucks for 170 pieces, about six pieces a day so far.

I hear you. 3rd day on nicotine lozenges here. They taste like solidified bong water, but I'm determined. I know at least 6 other people that have had enough. Not because of health reasons, they just refuse to give the government any more money.