Tying in with the previous post (about John Edwards), can you imagine the outcry (and the chaos) if the big tobacco companies simply stopped selling their products in the United States, citing the endless stream of litigation from greedy lawyers and their ceaseless hounding of the industry? (Remember that RJ Reynolds owns Nabisco, and Phillip Morris owns Kraft, so they have another source of income to tide them over. the smaller companies would be SOL, however).
For those of you who ENJOY smoking, how would you feel towards the legal vultures? For those of you who need the nicotime fix, how would you feel about having to switch to gum or patches to satisfy your cravings?
Also, imagine the black market that would spring up for those who need their cigarette, or their dip, or pipe tobacco. If you think the market for marijuana is big, you ain't seen nothing. Cities and states that have extortionary taxes on cigarettes (Maryland, New York City) have seen a big drop in their revenue as people go elsewhere to buy smokes. Why pay $1.00/pack in Maryland when the tax is 2 cents/pack across the border in Virginia?
Remember, the trial lawyers will continue to look for targets. After they milk tobacco companies dry, they will turn to fast food, or alcohol, or soda producers. You may not smoke, or drink, or eat fast food, but eventually they will target something that you do like, and if you haven't resisited their previous efforts to regulate your lifestyle, they won't hesistate for a minute to steamroll your vice of choice if they have succeeded on all of their previous attempts. The time to draw the line is now, before they win any more.
posted on September 08, 2003 09:24 AM
