Day 18 - Mind... Blown

*Initial Disclaimer* I am being even more insensitive here than usual. This is a highly controversial subject and I am talking exclusively from my own perspective with entirely my own opinions.

So what is it that is so revolutionary that my mind has been truly Blown? Well it was some insight from listening to This American Life. I will prefix this by stating that I have not (as of yet) checked the data sources to confirm the research that this is based on, however assuming that what they are saying holds up...

As a smoker - I am a net fiscal benefit on society!

 I know right? Mind blown! But why is this? Well it turns out that my life is gonna be shorter, so the government doesn't have to pay me nearly as much in pension, elderly care, benefits etc etc. Now I grant you that this may not quite make up for the cost of health care for, you know, my slow agonizingly painful death. BUT this net difference is apparently marginal and the amount of additional Tax I am paying on cigarettes more than makes up for it. (*DISCLAIMER* We will disregard the fact that the vast majority of cigarettes in Duty Free or the US where American Spirit is actually available and stick to the fact that I buy Pipe Tobacco in the UK and give Mr Taxman a chunk of that spend.).

The net result? I contribute more to society's coffers by smoking, paying the additional taxes and living a shorter life (despite additional health costs) than I would if I lived a clean healthy life and lived a longer, nicotine-free, life.

We all know that I am all about me and so I have decided that I am going to cut back on the smoking and limit it to a very occasional bowl of pipe tobacco for fear that I should do too much to benefit society as a whole!