Revenue, revenue, revenue. They have found a way to separate taxpayers from even more of their own money by punishing behavior. They are the least vocal of any group. They have accepted the social shunning of peers and bunch together in small little groups under canopies in the rain, reminiscing about the good old days when they could smoke when and where they pleased. They are the sub servants to Uncle Sam's dominatrix.
Tobacco is a cash cow for both the federal and the state governments.
The federal government and a majority of the states make more money per pack of cigarettes than the tobacco companies themselves make. This is why smoking will never be outlawed. If I didn't know better, I would swear that they were performing some kind of experiment to see how high they could tax an item before a revolt. Junk science runs amok when discussing the perils of second hand smoke. Scientists have tried to prove that second hand smoke poses a serious health risk.