Let me hit you with a crazy stat: 40% of my country smokes.

Yeah, almost half the people walking around are puffing away.

Pretty insane if you ask me.

Even worse? Smoking in closed spaces is still totally allowed.

Now compare that to the U.S.

Back in 1965, 42% of Americans smoked. Today? It’s down to just 14%.

How’d they pull it off? Simple but effective policies.

They fixed the environment by removing cues that triggered smokers to light up and adding friction wherever they could.

In short, they made it harder to smoke and easier to quit.

And my country? The government won’t even think about it.

Why?

One word: Money.

Selling cigarettes is a gold mine.

It fills gaps in the budget, pays pensions, and keeps public sector salaries afloat.

They say they care and propose policies that are never implemented.

If they actually cared, indoor smoking would’ve been banned years ago.

But it isn’t. And there’s no sign it will be.

Because they’re addicted to short-term money—just like smokers are addicted to cigarettes.

Here’s how it works: Each product you buy here has regular sales tax, or VAT as we call it in Europe.

But a few select products—like fuel, alcohol, and tobacco—get hit with an extra tax called excise tax.

These “extra” taxes slapped on harmful products are meant to offset the damage they cause.

Makes sense, right?

Raise the tax to offset the costs of pollution, addiction, or illness.

But here’s the problem: That money rarely gets used for its intended purpose.

Why?

Because politicians are greedy and lack the competence to create an environment that fosters innovation, entrepreneurship, and sustainable growth.

Instead, they get creative with ways to squeeze more money out of taxpayers—higher taxes, new levies, and more excuses.

Not to save lives—but to fill the holes in the budget (and their pockets).

Tobacco taxes turn into cash cows, and the long-term consequences? Totally ignored.

This addiction costs the state much more in the long run than the short-term gains they get.

By chasing short-term profits, the government is setting the stage for long-term disaster:

• Skyrocketing healthcare costs to treat smoking-related illnesses.
• A health system bogged down by easily preventable diseases.
• Premature deaths and a sick and weakened workforce, eroding human capital.
  

In the end, the state loses. Not just money—but lives, potential, and any real chance at progress.

This isn’t just a government problem.

On an individual level, we do the same thing all the time.

We too often trade short-term pleasure for long-term consequences:

• Eating junk food feels good now, but daily indulgence? Serious health trouble in the long term.
• Procrastinating feels like relief today, but delay it indefinitely, and you’ll face regrets on your deathbed.
• Skipping exercise spares you discomfort now, but in the long run, your health and body pay the price.

Short-term gratification always comes with long-term consequences.

Whether it’s a nation or an individual, the stakes are high.

Remember that.

Igor ‘Kick Short-Term Pleasures, Chose Long-Term Wins’ Stojadinović