Nicotine

Story is that nicotine has been increased by about 30% by tobacco manufacturers. Whether these are smokes for domestic or foreign markets hardly matters.

This is an outrage.

Smoking is a habituating carcinogenic substance. For a while the smoke folks blew smoke saying there was no conclusive evidence, only correlations. They've given up on that.

There are federally-mandated warnings on cigarette packages, and huge settlements in class-action suits, which mostly provide fortunes to lawyers.

Still this an outrage. When I was kid cigarettes were called "coffin nails" and "the evil Weed."But I started smoking cigarettes at fifteen, later went to a pipe (inhaling the smoke ! ), then cheap cigars.

I suspect Sir Walter Raliegh knew it was a deadly substance.

I didn't stop until the early 1980s when my now ex-wife said "I bet you can't stop."

I smashed out the Tiparillo and haven't had any form of tobacco since.

For a while, I trailed smokers to catch a whiff. Then I stopped.

I think I even believe in the notion of "ambient smoke."

Not only that:

Tobacco smells. It stinks.

I'd be for tighter regulation, with much less loot for lawyers.

Ben