Tobacco and alcohol vs. the war in Iraq

“I'm an AIM junky so anytime someone puts up an away message I read it. My roommate had this posted and I thought it was worth sharing:

"Hey, think about this... 35 coalition liberators have died so far as we enter the 5th day of conflict in Iraq. In that same time, tobacco use has lead to the premature deaths of over 5000 people. What should you be protesting? Here's some more... about 7000 americans were injured, and over 200 were killed as a direct result of drinking and driving. How does that make 35 deaths, as the result of an effort to preserve world peace and prevent terrorism, look? See the big picture now? tobacco ( http://www.thetruth.com ) alcohol ( http://www.madd.org ) war ( http://www.cnn.com )"

I'm usually the one who avoids the threads that have to do with the war and political issues but the facts are there. Go to the websites above and look up the statistics yourself if you don't believe me. Interesting point of view for you protesters.”

“What should you be protesting?

I believe people have been fighting against tobacco and alcohol for a long time now.

How does that make 35 deaths, as the result of an effort to preserve world peace and prevent terrorism, look?

Like there's 35 additional families going through hell.”

“American gun owners have killed far more innocent Americans than Iraq ever could. How about it, Bush, war on American firearm owners and makers.”

“Which gun "owners" Alaska? Look out .....it's those evil guns and their evil owners.”

“Back to wvabackpackers original point: Those are interesting statistics.”

“Did Spock get a new ISP?”

“Has Carrie Nation been reincarnated?

Chances are... cigarettes will kill you long before al Qaida. And Saddam Hussein? Get Serious, LOL”

“Now compare those numbers to terrorism and see if we shouldn't be invading Phillip Morris and Jack Daniel's.”

“How about a war on the Bill of Rights and the Constitution? We really don't need free speech do we? At least that way we won't have to read your crappy posts.”

“Alaska?”

“Alaska/Spock war on american gun owners and makers. Ever heard of the 2nd Amendment?”

“I'll bet if there were less people like alaska in the US the gun murder rate would drop considerably, the gun owners would have no one to shoot.”

“I apologize for starting a political thread--I usually avoid them--but I just thought that the quote was interesting. That's all. Interpret everything else however you see fit.

Oh, and tobacco will be illegal long before firearms are ever outlawed and I don't see either being outlawed anywhere in the next 500 years...”

“Yes, the politicians in Washington still protect the tobacco companies as much as they possibly can, do they not?

Do you think nicotine wouldn't be classified as a drug if it came on the market today? It has no redeeming value whatsoever, so that's Schedule I.

It doesn't have to be outlawed. Just hold them responsible for the lies they've told about the damage they've known about for 70 years. They'll be bankrupted.

But Nooooo... we have to limit jury awards so the scumbags can stay in business.”

“Tobacco profits the government to much to be outlawed, ie taxes.”

“why not invade the right target;oil co's and car makers.”

“Next stop... DETROIT!

LOL”

“Crackheads, Needlelfreaks and Methmanics get support why can't Nicjunkies?? Ist offender Doser's get manditory minimium at 18? WTF?? Yet a some Megan Law offender can be your neighbor is less time?

THE TRUTH is a noble effort along with all those drugs support terrorist ads in educating the fragile eggshell minds of our youth. Who would have thunk it,, that my Heavy was terrorist.”

“Dang. I had no idea that all those south Georgia farmers who switched from growing soybeans to pot were actually AL QAIDA!?!”

“Tobacco is also a big export.”

“Of course, a similar argument could be made to suggest that 9/11/01 wasn't such a big deal.”

“Theory on contraband tobacco unveiled in Montreal

Montreal - One-quarter of all the tobacco distributed around the world is illegal contraband, according to an international researcher.

According to research done by the World Health Organization expert Luk Joossens, there are millions of cigarettes traded on the black market.

Industry figures show a world-wide smuggling system is at work, he says. The American-based multi-national cigarette industry manufactures and exports about 100 billion cigarettes every year.

But statistics of worldwide imports show only 75 billion cigarettes imported, according to the U.S. department of agriculture Web site.

The difference, 25 billion cigarettes, find their way into contraband, unauthorized markets.

Joossens has been following the pattern of contraband distribution for many years.

Iraq reaps profits

He says the channels used to be through Belgium, but they were closed off, then Spain became the major route through the world, but those ports were closed to undocumented tobacco containers. Now, Iraq is the main supply line between U.S. tobacco manufacturers and the clients, says Joossens.

The irony, he says, is that Saddam Hussein's son controls Iraq's tobacco industry. So American tobacco companies are helping keep Hussein's family rich.

The losers in this pattern of commerce are the governments, deprived of tobacco taxes and the health of people who can get cigarettes more cheaply than they they would if they were controlled and taxed the legal way.

Conference continues

More than 400 experts and researchers from French-speaking countries are in Montreal this week to unite their efforts to rein in the tobacco industry.

They are gathering to share information and strategies, says Louis Gauvin, head of the conference.

The anti-tobacco movement is no longer dealing with a medical debate — now it is a political struggle, he says.

source”

“To h@ll with the First and Second Ammendments ,use mine.Your sell your guns,shut up and design a 'car',that doesn';t burn petrol.”

“As I suspected all along... it's those Terrorist Tobacco Farmers!”