saltwind 78 Loc: Murrells Inlet, South Carolina

It ain't alcohol, and it ain't some disease, and it ain't opioids. Its tobacco. Last year four hundred eighty thousand Americans died of tobacco related diseases. Tobacco is ninety five more addictive than pot. Only five percent of people that smoke weed feel that they must smoke it again, while 95% of cigaret smokers feel that they have to have another cigaret. Tobacco will take your money, will turn your fingers and teeth yellow, will make your breath, and clothing stink, and then will k**l you. It targets teens and poor people as it's market. The big question is, why is this deadly poison allowed to be sold in the United States?
The reason is that the Tobacco companies buy politicians to keep it legal, and spends up to a million dollars in advertising every minute.
My father died of a heart attack at age sixty seven and he smoked two to three packs of unfiltered cigs a day. I smoked for over twenty years and finally gave it up when my first child was born. I see older addicted people smoke in a car with infants in the back seat. Politicians like our current Vice President are only to happy to take money from these murderers. I don't mean to say this is the fault of the Republicans, the Democrats are just as much to blame. Write your Congressmen and Senators to stop taking blood money and do away from this highly addicting poison.

Michael Rich Loc: Lapine Oregon

You sir are absolutely right...

saltwind 78 Loc: Murrells Inlet, South Carolina

byronglimish, These kids are out there protesting about AR15s as is their right and they are right. AR15s take less than a thousand lives a year. Tobacco takes far more lives than that just on second hand smoke. I bet a hell of a lot of these kids that are taking part in this protest movement are smoking tobacco as they protest.

Michael Rich Loc: Lapine Oregon

I totally agree with you..When former CDC director Dr. Brenda Fitzgerald had to resign recently.. because of stock in big tobacco and other interest...showed herself to be a huge hypocrite..

Tobacco needs a revisited...

maureenthannon

Cigarettes not nly k**l the addicts. Millions die from SECOND HAND SMOKE!! Some used to argue that if cigs are deadly, it's their life to loose, adults should be able to decide what they want to do. But that argument fall flat given that the ciggs k**l others too. Everyone has to pay for the medical care of all who are sickened and k**ls by smoking(Higher insurance and health care costs for ALL, deadly diseases for smokers and non smokers alike.

saltwind 78 Loc: Murrells Inlet, South Carolina

maureen, What I didn't mention in my original post is that tobacco costs this country three hundred million dollars a year. How much would it save in health insurance costs if this deadly substance wasn't allowed? As far as I'm concerned, those politicians that take contributions from big tobacco are the same as bought off cops. The Tobacco companies are PUSHERS!

maureenthannon

saltwind, That's true,but it's not just the cigarettes. The FDA will allow anything to be passed, no matter how dangerous or deadly,if the company that makes them pay big wigs at the zfda enough money.Money is more important than peoples health or lives. Every one's in on the s**m. Doctors get paid to push drugs on their patients. Medical schools continue to teach doctors in training that drugs and surgery are the only way to treat disease.Living healthy life styles and eating nutritios foods to keep people from getting sick in the first place is discouraged.They don't want to cure diseases, that would cut off all the money to be made by keeping people on the super expensive maintenance treatments. Not surprising that most oncologists don't want chemo if they get cancer, they know how dangerous it is. More cancer patients die from treatment thn from cancer.

saltwind 78 Loc: Murrells Inlet, South Carolina

maureenthannon, It's absolutely true. The question is, who is to blame? It has to be the big drug and food companies as well as big tobacco. These guys have enough money to buy politicians wholesale. Our own VP, Pence is a huge supporter of tobacco. His family owned a store that sold tobacco as its main item. He has taken money from big tobacco to guard their interests. We are losing ground to these fat cats without scruples or consciences. This is supported by many in congress and the other two branches of our government that claim that this deregulation of business will be great for the economy.Maybe it will and maybe it won't, but it certainly won't be good for the teens that get addicted, or the poor people that spend precious resources to buy tobacco. It's high time that we the people tell our representatives to do wh**ever it takes to make these guys in the food, drug and tobacco industries do whats right. As a start, we should put a ten dollar a pack tax on cigarettes. Food companies should be regularly inspected for cleanliness, and drugs should be fully tested before coming to market. No need to start from the beginning on drug testing. Our European friends have in many cases done the work already.