I belong to the Church of Public Health, where everything unhealthy is sinful and people spend tax payer money for the good of the body.

I shouldn’t be smoking or eating junk food. I shouldn’t be sitting at a desk all day. I should be hiking, eating tofu, and curing AIDS. But I’m not- yet. And the other day I did something terrible: I smoked a cigarette.

Anyway, something compelled me to smoke a ciggy, and so I did. The same thing, I assume, compelled me to stand in the Times Square Military Island whilst listening to Egyptian music whilst smoking this ciggy. So I did. It felt amazing…like all my anxieties floated away and I could be tranquil in the middle of one of the busiest squares in all of New York City.

With all of the initiatives this city has come up with to curb smoking, it’s not surprising that smoking rates have barely declined for the poorest segments of the city’s residents. Smoking feels good. It eases mental pain. Charging $8+ for a pack is just cruel. Maybe fried chicken or cheetos should cost $15. And a bottle of soda will be $20.

Cigarette taxes in this city go to fund City-wide programs. But it also creates a black market for cigarettes, which increases cigarette-related violence. Is it really worth it to keep increasing taxes? Maybe my Church should see the bigger picture.