Free Republic

American TV drama series Mad Men has triggered a dramatic boom in the sales of Lucky Strike cigarettes, causing outrage among anti-smoking campaigners. Sales of the world-famous cigarettes, owned by British American Tobacco, reached 33 billion packs last year compared to 23 billion in 2007 when the show first aired. Mad Men features New York ad agency Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce in the 1960s and their turbulent relationship with iconic cigs brand Lucky Strike. …

<p>Considering the name of this blog, we took great concern with the left Eye of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, which appeared puffy on Wednesday while she testified to a Senate committee.</p> <p>Sebelius had a basal cell carcinoma removed from her forehead on Tuesday during a successful standard outpatient procedure, according to HHS spokeswoman Jenny Backus.</p>

City voters reject proposal 987-789Voters in the City of Rhinelander have sent a message that they don't want a smoking ban.Voters were asked to respond to a referendum question asking if smoking should be prohibited in public places, including restaurants in the city. City voters opposed the referendum on a 987-789 vote. “This is a great day for City of Rhinelander voters who saw this as a rights issue, it's an expression of freedom of choice,” said Rob Swearingen of Be Fair.“We are pleased with the results,” said Rachelle Ibarra, president of Be Fair. “Our opponents said that the trend...

Britain's largest tobacco company has been testing chocolate and alcohol-flavoured cigarettes, which campaigners say are aimed at enticing children into smoking. British American Tobacco, whose brands include Rothmans and Lucky Strike, has been carrying out scientific trials on animals in Canada. As well as chocolate, wine and sherry, BAT has also experimented with cocoa, corn syrup, cherry juice, maple syrup and vanilla. Last night, the anti-smoking lobby group, Action on Smoking and Health, reacted with fury to the revelations. Deborah Arnott, director of Ash, said: "Adding sweets to tobacco is appalling. It shows that we need more tobacco regulation to...