More dangerous: Nicotine? Alcohol?

Click here: Smoking No Longer Très Chic in France - New York Times

Two of the great killers of our time are nicotine and alcohol.

Alcoholism is devastating to both the user and his/her descendants. It often yields embarassment and humiliation.

But smoking or chewing tobacco --- the evil weed --- via cigarettes, cigars, pipes or plugs of the stuff --- may be more deadly.

My colleague as an LBJ speechwriter --- Ervin Duggan of Manning South Carolina, a Southern gentleman of the old school, who taught me a lot about writing although he is about eight years younger than I --- wrote in a speech for a Cabinet member:

Smoking is slow-motion suicide.

It used to be regarded as tres' chic. Now, apparently even in France, it seen as tres' guache.

Tax it, ban it, whatever. I have come to believe that even "ambient smoke" is harmful.

Moreover: It stinks.

Ben