China Needs More Smokers

This is one way to deal with an economic crisis. Get a bunch of people hooked on one of the most addictive substances around and tax the bejeezus out of it. From FOX:

Officials in China have reportedly been told to puff their way through four and a half million cigarettes a year.

Staff at local government offices in Hubei province were given the order in a move intended to set an example for the rest of the nation, according to state media.

And if they fail to smoke their way through 230,000 packs of locally-produced cigarettes, the officials could face fines.

Brands such as Huanghelou have been earmarked as part of the official quota.

"The regulation will boost the local economy via the cigarette tax," local official Chen Nianzu told the Global Times.

Smokers tend to kick the bucket earlier as well, thereby costing less to the state-run health industry. The U.S. could probably adopt a similar policy of "smoke 'em if you got 'em" with Obama as the spokesman since a whole array of social programs are funded through smokers and that tax-paying base is dying off. But since we live in a democracy, you have to give the appearance that you "care" about the people or some crap.