The CDC says that “smoking cost the nation about $92 billion in the form of lost productivity in 1997-2001.” Anti-smoking nannies claim that “secondhand smoke costs the U.S. economy roughly $10 billion a year: $5 billion in estimated medical costs associated with secondhand smoke exposure, and another $4.6 billion in lost wages.” Fast food and overeating? $115 billion. Alcohol? $185 billion. Meat eating? $61 billion according to one bunch of carnivore-haters, or $1 trillion according to one lone psycho. Keept that up, and pretty soon you’re talking about real money.
How much money? The Register knows.
We come up with a grand total of $7.39 trillion - well in excess of the $6.70 trillion that actually exists. That’s right, when you allow for the basic costs that we’ve all got to put up with, and the inevitable losses to criminals like Ken Lay and Ted Bundy, and then pile on the items that meddling little turds hate to see us enjoying, it all costs more money than there is.
[via the Meddling Little Turd fighters at the Consumerist]
