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Very few people have the gene that protects them from tobacco-related lung cancer. Some people who told me that they had the gene wound up getting lung cancer and dying a horrible slow death, just like the ones who knew it was bad and couldn't stop. The big C will get you if you hand over your lungs on a platter.

Oh that's for sure. We are growing a Country of wimps on Ritalin and Prozac!

You know, you take everything for face value, as long as you agree with it. For instance, you stated "Some people who told me........." do you believe everything you are told? And people usually can't stop something because they enjoy it too much. Believe me, if I hated smoking, I sure wouldn't smoke.

What about the coal miners who died from Black Lung? Not all of THEM smoked! Yet they still developed lung cancer and most died. You can't blame all lung cancers on cigarettes.

I wouldn't be so quick to bite off the hands that feed you.

I have no idea what that means in this context.

Then I will tell you: lawmakers raise taxes on cigarettes constantly to "balance the state's budgets." You think this is ok, because heh! You don't smoke. The money isn't coming out of YOUR wallet. But.......if all smokers stopped smoking or went elsewhere for cigarettes and then the Tobacco Settlement Money stopped coming into the state, where do you think the lawmakers will go to make up for the loss of cigarette tax revenue? They have to hit you up in there somewhere. And don't think they won't.

Why bother with facts.......these minds are made up??????

But you do it for exactly the same reason I and the rest of us do it......there are people out there reading these things, without posting, and that is one of the main reasons more and more people are starting to speak up.

One of the things that really gets me laughing is the claim of the antis that "ALL smokers really, really want to quit, but just can't because they are so addited"........I don't know about you, but I don't know anyone that falls into that category. Every former smoker I know that wanted to stop, just stopped. The only ones that had a bit of trouble were the ones that really didn't want to stop, but felt pressure to do so.

As to the money aspect of the states.....of course it is about money. Delaware more than doubled it's cigarette tax last year to close a shortfall in the state budget, primarily because of the loss of revenue from the racetracks after smoking was banned in the casinos. Typical story, smokers stop going where they are unwelcome, the state loses money and finds another way to recoup it from the same people who are unwelcome. Well this year there is a surplus....and legislators have decided they will give state employees a raise (I've got no problem there) but will not roll back the cigarette tax and instead cut income taxes across the board.

So once again, a minority of the population is charged with benefitting the majority.

I'm so glad I no longer live there!!!