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Chinese Ordered To Smoke More To Boost Economy

Posted by samzenpus on from the smoke-while-you-do-it dept.

Chinese officials have figured out a way to fight the bad economy and keep the people in flavor country all at once; make them smoke. The Gong'an county government has ordered its staff to smoke 230,000 packs of locally made cigarettes annually or risk being fined. "The regulation will boost the local economy via the cigarette tax," said Chen Nianzu, a member of the Gong'an cigarette market supervision team.

8 comments

  1. Smart move by Locke2005 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Just think of all the money they will save on retirement benefits and elder care!

    --
    I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
    1. Re:Smart move by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Just think of all the money they will make selling those organs.

    2. Re:Smart move by roc97007 · · Score: 1

      Who wants smoky organs?

      --
      Oliver's law of assumed responsibility: If you're seen fixing it, you will be blamed for breaking it.
    3. Re:Smart move by empraptor · · Score: 1

      hannibal lecter?

    4. Re:Smart move by santiagoanders · · Score: 1

      Parent post needs some funny points.

      --
      "There can be little doubt that union activities lead to continuous and progressive inflation." F. A. Hayek
  2. Broken windows? by Bob+the+Super+Hamste · · Score: 1

    This sounds a lot like the broken window fallacy. At best it is a net wash since those resources could have been better used for other purposes.

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    Time to offend someone
    1. Re:Broken windows? by American+Terrorist · · Score: 1

      You're not accounting for the benefits of lower population...

  3. Lower Pop FTW by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Actually in an overpopulated nation, it may seem callous but its a good idea. Get the money flowing AND reduce population. If they keep this up, it will curb population growth rates in a generation or two, maybe sooner.

    Even better, having an existing populating highly addicted to a substance which you can readily regulate is an added benefit.

    Coldly logical, so perfect a decision in its administrative simplicity.