When I was 16 (2006), I worked in a grocery store. I still remember vividly a woman coming in, buying $200 worth of food with SNAP and then pulling out two cri

When I was 16 (2006), I worked in a grocery store. I still remember vividly a woman coming in, buying $200 worth of food with SNAP and then pulling out two crisp $100 bills and buying 4 or 5 cartons of cigarettes. I was really put off by it, though I never showed. It felt like a kick to the gut. That someone would abuse the system in such a fashion felt like an affront to all the people paying for her food when she clearly had the ability to pay. This wasn't an isolated incident from her or any of the other SNAP beneficiaries in my area. It was just my first encounter with abuse. This is of course anecdotal and it only reflects on fewer than 100 people in a small Tennessee town. I truly believe we need to abolish food stamps and other welfare programs and replace it with a "negative income tax". That way these sorts of people can buy cigarettes (or soda) instead of food without the public feeling like they've been cheated.