The Cig that Stoked the Smoker's Hack

In Minneapolis, MN...
Well, the cigarette smokers have finally had it. It seems they've resorted to stealing cars and slamming into storefronts, in what police are calling "Crash and Grab" robberies. Lt. Greg Reinhardt of the Minneapolis Police Department says the thieves are targeting convenience stores and tobacco shops. "It's a very hot commodity...they are taking other items, but for the most part, it's cartons of cigarettes" (As reported by Minnesota Public Radio on Thursday, May 19).

One can't help but wonder if this has anything to do with the May 17 ruling by the MN Supreme Court upholding a 75 cent per-pack "health impact fee." Or perhaps it's the Hennepin county law that doesn't allow smoking in bars. As a former smoker, I know how irritating it is to be confronted with a new tax or law, wheezing around every corner. Then again, as a former smoker, I was generally irritated at nearly everything.

But this might just be the brink; the cig that stoked the smoker's hack, so to speak. In Minneapolis, smokers have already been banned from bars, relegated to the so-called great outdoors. When I smoked I couldn't stand fresh air. I think most smokers would agree--it's part of reason we smoke. Don't remind us of the little things in life we don't enjoy; my mom always said to take time to "stop and smell the flowers." Well, I did. And I'm allergic to pollen. Turns out, I'm also allergic to tobacco, but my incredible willpower kept me smoking for many years after realizing that fact.

So now what do smokers do? They get kicked out of bars, and then drive around, most likely a bit soused, crashing into storefronts to steal cigarettes. Why not? They stand to make a fortune selling them on the street--soon, they'll make about 75 cents more per pack.