What Does This Imply about Tobacco Taxes?

According to Authoritarians R Us (seen via BoingBoing):

Health and life insurance companies in the US and abroad have nearly $4.5 billion invested in tobacco stocks, according to Harvard doctors.

………

Why is it a big deal? “If you own a billion dollars [of tobacco stock], then you don’t want to see it go down,” says Himmelstein, “You are less likely to join anti-tobacco coalitions, endorse anti-tobacco legislation, basically, anything most health companies would want to participate in.”

Let's see… The U.S. government also profits from tobacco via tobacco taxes…

Come to think of it, the U.S. government can also pay out less Social Security if more people smoke. Hmmm…