If it were introduced today? You're right, it would surely never be approved. However, it's been sort of grandfather'd in over the past 400 years.
I may be wrong on this, but I can't think of any federal prosecutor that's taken on Big Tobacco. I think it's all been done at the state level.

"Big Tobacco" has its home offices in Congress, where subsidies and other give aways to teh industry prop up this industry. "Big Tobacco," however, has no control over anything or anyone. "Big Governments" have coersive powers and throughout the world have been the most deadly, violent and murderous entities in mankind's history.

How can they on the one hand tacitly endorse and support tobacco growers, gain tax revenue to pay itself and then take legal action against tobacco?

I hate cigarette smoke, but I hate governments telling establishments what they should and should not let customers do. A much more reasonable compromise would be for restaurant owners to post a sign on the front door: "Smoking allowed, or smoking forbidden". 90% of restaurant owners would forbid it in most locales, since the owners are responsive to their customers. Maybe in Vegas the mix would be 50-50. A few places would allow it, and smokers would flock to those places. Everyone would be happy, and the free market would work itself out to the best outcome for the society as a whole.

From my perspective it seems that we have deviated from a country that respects individual freedoms and individual responsibilites to a nation that rules with a "tyranny of the majority". All is fine and well so long as you are in the 51% majority, but don't start bitching the day you are in the 49% minority who has their rights stripped by those who believe they are doing what they need to do to save you from yourself.

Our founders worried about this scenario, and did their best to prevent it. We have sabotaged our own country with Federal over-legislation, over-regulation, and overly intrusive govenmental intervention.

quote:

Originally posted by ccr11:
"Big Tobacco" has its home offices in Congress, where subsidies and other give aways to teh industry prop up this industry. "Big Tobacco," however, has no control over anything or anyone.

I think it's easy to see how these two statements contradict one another


"Big Governments" have coersive powers and throughout the world have been the most deadly, violent and murderous entities in mankind's history.

People have been killing each other since time began, whether you belive in creationism or evolution. Governments only legalized it.


How can they on the one hand tacitly endorse and support tobacco growers, gain tax revenue to pay itself and then take legal action against tobacco?

That's a very good question, and one that's gone unanswered for years. As I said, progress has only been made at the state and local level.

How long until butter is banned? I swear, "Big Butter" has been gleefully getting rich at the expense of all of our fat people for years. Any enlightenend society would ban this lethal substance. Hopefully, that will lead to sugar being banned as well.

Second hand smoke in the home for 10 years has been shown to cause a 25-50% increase in coronary heart disease. Second hand smoke at work (i.e. a restaurant even if you're a waitress) has shown no significant findings.

On the other hand, stress, first-hand smoking and high cholesterol/blood pressure has been shown to increase your risk 2 to 3 fold.

So let's put this into perspective...

CHD RISK
----------

Average: 25%
<b>Second hand smoke in the workplace (restaurant): 25%</b>
Second hand smoke at home (10 years): 31-38%
Stress: 50-75%
High Cholesterol/Blood Pressure: 50-75%

From this you can draw a few different conclusions. 1) Second hand smoke in small quantities is not that much of a factor 2)These studies were poorly conducted and reported with inflammatory language

I'm with both.

There should be a law against smoking in the home. If you smoke in a haouse where others live with you, it is the equivalent of pre-meditated murder.

A little hyperbole goes a long way.

What would clinch it for me is if they got rid of those damn dinging and ringing machines with the handles on the sides and all those buttons. They make so much noise!