Where There's Smoke

The tobacco industry is facing the prospects of a bill which, if passed by the Senate and signed by Obama (as expected) would place it under the regulatory auspices of the FDA. Once this happens, the FDA could then limit new products, regulate advertising, compel tobacco companies to list the ingredients in their products, and even limit the amount of nicotine in tobacco products. Although the House version as sponsored by Henry Waxman passed easily, it is expected to face a tougher fight in the Senate, where Senators from tobacco-growing states are pushing an alternative bill which would put the industry under the control of Health And Human Services instead. In the meantime, Phillip Morris, the dominant tobacco company in America, actually supports the Waxman bill, presumably in order to retain its competitive edge in the market.

What I would like to know is, where were all these anti-tobacco crusaders in Congress when Big Tobacco was doing everything in its power to create products to purposely addict the American consumer?

Oh, that's right, they were sitting back and taking "contributions" from the industry in exchange for allowing them to get us all addicted and cancer-ridden. Now of course they've all had a collective change of heart and want to tax us. "For our own good", of course.