How to lose money and not achieve your public health goal at the same time

The awful will to oppress others for their own good is a mighty thing to see.  From The Unintended Consequences of a Menthol Cigarette Ban by Elaine Schwartz.  

During June 2020, Massachusetts banned menthol flavored cigarettes. Within the year, sales declined close to 24 percent. Compared to 2019, the 2021 drop was 25 percent. But it was much more than sales. Massachusetts sacrificed $135 million in tax revenue. Similarly, after California’s ban, researchers collected 15,000 discarded cigarette packs from public trash bins. They calculated that 21.1 percent of the packs were menthol style.

Menthol? Many smokers continued with their flavored preferences. They were just smuggled.

When Massachusetts implemented the ban, menthol sales in nearby states increased. As a result, Massachusetts is hit in two ways. Smokers’ health does not improve and it loses potential tax revenue. Meanwhile, New Hampshire’s cigarette tax revenue was way up.

But I am sure the busybodies felt good about themselves.