Thank You for Smoking
April 14, 2008
People have been smoking tobacco for over a thousand years. Even a generation ago smoking was considered the norm. Now we know of its link to a variety of cancers and diseases, and many laws have been introduced at all levels of government to try to protect nonsmokers and smokers alike. The numbers of U.S. smokers are declining, but cigarette smoking is the still the single most preventable cause of untimely death in this country – claiming 400,000 Americans each year – 1 in every 5 deaths. Treating cancer cost $219 billion in 2007.
Election Results: RJ Reynolds Defeats Children’s Health
November 7, 2007
With the country’s election day 2007 now behind us, voters in Oregon have been defeated in their fight to expand public health coverage for needy children. Big Tobacco spent $100 million last year alone to fight cigarette tax increases and smoking bans on ballots in several states, winning in two states and losing in two others. Their recent campaign in Oregon against Measure 50, which would have allowed an 84.5-cent-per-pack cigarette tax increase, has broken that state’s spending record for ballots. Though the tax hike backers had raised over $1 million for their cause, mainly from hospitals and insurance companies, Big Tobacco spent almost ten times that, making a huge dent in the majority support that the measure initially had. Measure 50 was rejected by 60% of the state’s voters.
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