[Old Professer]

The stats for asthma are puzzling since 1980 as they don't seem to correlate to either smoking or air pollution.

[goodnesswins]

Asthma is more likely caused by the milk subsidies given out by our US government.....

[Smokin' Joe]

Maybe it just documents the rise in catalytic converter equipped cars. Whatever comes out of those has made me nauseous at a single stoplight (while riding motorcycles). /kidding--or not.

Then, too, it might coincide with the use of carseats for chilren.

Maybe undetected byproducts emanated by CDs when the laser hits them.

Cell phone radiation

Soccer games

plastic in auto interiors

wall to wall carpeting

'manufactured' building material fumes

Gaia commanding the ragweed to make nastier pollen

Whatever the reason, it seems to me smoking has become the universal whipping boy for all the evils of our environment.

If it is so d@mned bad, just ban it and maybe we can quit seeing billions pi$$ed away annually on nonsense and the 'researchers' can get around to finding out what is making people sick.

One thing I have noticed, though. The drug companies must have passed out a few tons of samples last trip through town, 'cause virtually every doctor has been pushing that kids have "allergies". So I have to ask, has "Asthma" been redifined, like they did to AIDS to inflate the numbers??