DEADLY ATTACK OVER CIGARETTES - A truly ugly aspect of the tobacco jihad is the rising level of violence and death associated with the anti-tobacco cartel's policies. From New Zealand, where a high tobacco tax is causing a rash of strong armed robberies, to Canada, where a 78 year old woman froze to death to preserve the smokefree ideal, the rabid anti-smokers and their political allies have added physical violence to their portfolio of lies, corruption, bigotry and greed. In the San Francisco Bay Area a 16 year old boy is near death for refusing to give up his cigarettes to those who can't afford them.

MIXED MESSAGES - Jacob Sullum writes on D.A.R.E.: "The other day, I passed a car with a bumper sticker that read "DARE to Think for Yourself." At first, I thought it was a satirical jab at Drug Abuse Resistance Education, the mindlessly puritanical program that is omnipresent in American schools despite a lack of evidence that it does any good."

NUISANCE SUITS - Jacob Sullum writes on the new, sick American attitude of suing everything in sight, from tobacco to gun manufacturers, as long as there is heavy money to be made by politicians and lawyers. The words "criminal lawyer" today have taken a new meaning, indicating a characteristic of the litigation lawyers more than the legal specialization.

"A few years ago, when states started demanding that tobacco companies reimburse them for the cost of treating smoking-related illnesses under Medicaid, I put together an alphabetical list of 54 products whose manufacturers could be sued on similar grounds. "Guns" were the 22nd item, after "gasoline cans" and before 'hair dryers.'

Apparently the trial lawyers got ahold of my list, and they’re skipping to the G’s. Just as the states were wrapping up their tobacco cases with a $206 billion settlement, two big cities filed suit against gun manufacturers, assisted by some of the same attorneys who went after the cigarette makers."

OBSCENE LEGAL FEES - Now that the Christmas spend fest is over and the spector of credit card bills gives holiday revelers indigestion, all Americans will undoubtedly take comfort in the good fortune of the anti-tobacco lawyers. With rates averaging $100,000 per hour for their work in shaking down tobacco consumers, these paragons of virtue have committed the most profitable crime of the century.

SLAMMING THE SETTLEMENT - As the tobacco settlement moves foreward, it is becoming obvious to all but the most obtuse that this deal is the most successful shakedown in American history. The anti-tobacco cartel and the rapacious lawyers, along with their stooges, the states attorney generals, have committed the crime of the century. Not since the days of prohibition when organized crime held sway throughout much of the country has lawlessness been so blatant. The spectacle of greed and corruption of the law cause one to long for the days of Al Capone. Capone was a horrible criminal but he, at least, did not try to mask his crime under the guise of public health. We include a small sampling of opinion criticizing the settlement.

CRIMINALS - The anti-tobacco cartel objects mightily whenever its actions are called criminal. Unfortunately for the anti-smokers, their never ending greed and their willingness to adopt criminal means to achieve their ends are becoming more obvious as the repercussions of the tobacco settlement become clear. We link to a small sampling of non-profit, anti-tobacco organizations gone bad.

AN UNCIVIL YEAR - Important article highlighting the incredibly fast and deep erosion of the Civil liberties in the United States, quickly approaching the USSR's levels of state interference into the lives of citizens, as well as contempt of human rights. "Readers of this column will not be surprised to learn that 1998 was no banner year for civil rights and civil liberties. Perhaps the best that can be said is that with everyone's attention focused on the president's personal affair and its very public aftermath, there was less time available to dismantle constitutional protections. The most hopeful signs for the future came not from within but from abroad, as a chorus of international voices expressed growing concerns about the United States' own human rights record."

THE INDECENT PROPOSAL OF RALPH MUNRO, A DISCRIMINATORY SON-OF-A-BITCH - "For years, Secretary of State Ralph Munro has offered financial incentives for his employees to quit smoking. Now, he wants to persuade lawmakers to let state agencies reject job applicants who use tobacco."

Now, there you have it. Forty years ago, to get this treatment you had to be black. Up to twenty years ago, you had to be gay. Now you have to be a smoker. Aside from the constitutionality of this indecent proposal, there are much deeper considerations to be made. Since the smokers have clearly become the "Niggers" of the 21st century in America, if now smokers are out of a job, how are they going to pay for the 206 billion-dollar extortion? And further: what is the ACLU doing kissing the ass of anti-tobacco?

"Spokesmen for the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington and the Washington Federation of State Employees said they respect Munro for his efforts but are concerned about the proposal."

What is there to respect about the proposal of this son-of-a-bitch, ACLU? Are you afraid to become unpopular, since freedom of personal choice is such an obsolete concept in America? Or have the anti-tobacco criminals harassed you enough? Are you simply afraid to criticize the powerful? There is nothing to respect in Munro's proposal -- NOTHING AT ALL.

"There's no question we can back it up with health statistics," Munroe continues. Sure... and we all know how FALSE those statistics are.

"The question is: Can we take it to the next step?'' he concludes. Probably, as all decency and respect for truth, liberty,civil liberties and human rights are far gone in the US, and indecent scum like Munro has taken power among the indifference of those who deserve what they get.

TOBACCO FEE FALLOUT - The criminal looting of smokers and tobacco industry is once again depicted in this article. It does not take a rocket scientist to figure this one out. Nor it takes a genius to finally understand that anti-tobacco has nothing to do with health -- and everything to do with crime. But it DOES take a particular kind of fool or an especially twisted crook to affirm that this is justifiable in the light of ridding America of one of its pleasures. If this is about health, it's about the health that comes to the wallets of the elite in an unprecedented and unjust wealth redistribution scheme.

"The creation of a new class of trial lawyer portends a legal arms race -- among other calamities" ... "According to the majority of a fee-arbitration panel, plaintiffs' lawyers in the Florida, Mississippi and Texas tobacco cases should be awarded fees that will total $8.2 billion."

STUPIDITY, CORRUPTION, AND IRRESPONSIBILITY: WHO CITES TB AIR TRAVEL RISKS - Should we laugh or cry? After the airlines have used the anti-smoking sentiment artificially induced in the population to decrease air exchange on airplanes and save fuel, we can now sit in sardine-like luxury and enjoy the lingering spectre of TB whilst the air circulates at significantly lower rate than it did when the rights of smokers were not infringed upon.

We propose a toast to the Law of Unintended Consequences. And a kick in the butt to WHO -- better yet: what about a multi-billion dollar lawsuit? After all, the US-financed WHO instigates hatred against smokers and the tobacco industry for responsibilities they never had, and damages that exist only on mathematical models in computers. It therefore seems quite logical that the WHO is sued for responsibilities it HAS. But again, there is no justice -- just power. And for as long as the politicians are on the side of the anti-tobacco cartel and smokers passively submit, these crooks can sleep well, and with impunity.

SMOKING AND THE SELF-RIGHTEOUS - "You know the tide has turned when a nonsmoker like myself is starting to feel sympathy for cigarette companies. But like the ACLU defending the Nazi marchers in Illinois, someone has to take a stand for principle. Tiresome antismoking radio spots, with no rebuttal following, continue to pollute the otherwise balanced airwaves. Billboards depicting lung-less cowboys and sarcastic debutantes clog airspace. Then there is the TV commercial created by the state of California -- and obviously financed by me -- that boldly flaunts misleading statistics. After some art-house footage of a smoking toilet, the commercial triumphantly announces that 54,000 people die annually from secondhand smoke. So there. Case closed. No smoking in bars for the rest of eternity. We're the government and we're making the decisions around here. An Internet investigation revealed the following..."

DAMNED IF YOU DO, DAMNED IF YOU DON'T -- JUST DAMNED - The anti-tobacco cartel screamed that the tobacco industry was (and is) promoting its products to the youth. First inconsistency: it is a legal product and as such the manufacturers have the right to promote it to anyone. But let us concede (not necessarily agree with) the fact that certain products must be restrictively promoted to adults only. But that is not enough for the spastic anti-smokers. What twisted mind can ever conceive that a manufacturer embarks in publicity against its own product? Answer: the anti-smokers. But a defeated tobacco industry complies: it gets on the tube, and says that its products do not have to be consumed by the youth. Is the anti-tobacco cartel happy? Of course not: the tobacco industry does not have to do that, even if it walks on the "right side" of things!

Stop and think: what level of dark arrogance makes these bastards say that speaking against tobacco is the "right side" of things in the first place? Answer: the arrogance of the self-righteous, of the fascist, and the daring attitude of the prevaricator. Let's go further: now that the absurd has happened, and the industry is speaking against itself, this is still no good because the youth is going to be curious. Perhaps this is indeed an astute move by the industry; perhaps, it is just a gesture of desperation. Either way, the anti-tobacco bastards want the industry to just stand still, get the badmouthing, passively contemplate its own destruction, and stay silent when the cartel divulges its false information while getting rich in the process. The tobacco industry is to stand still and become their punching ball. Because the cartel thinks it's right. Because the cartel has established that it is morally and politically "correct". Because it has to rape society undisturbed. Because it is anti-tobacco.

Not in a million years, pals. Your putrid fascist values will not become the norm for as long as we have an ounce of breath to speak out with. And if we will be gagged, we will learn sign language. Mussolini did not get away with it -- and neither will you.

HUGE FEES FOR ANTI-TOBACCO CARTEL LAWYERS -- WHAT DID YOU EXPECT? - "... The award for each state suit dwarfs any granted before, even in huge class action cases. But panel chairman John Calhoun Wells, a former top federal mediator, defended the fees as "fair" and "reasonable" based on the multibillion-dollar settlements they produced.

The tobacco industry, along with legal experts who have challenged large fees in other cases, called the fees 'outrageous.' Former federal judge Charles Renfrew, a panel member chosen by the industry, issued a strong dissent, calling the sums 'clearly excessive and . . . incomprehensible.' "

EXCESSIVE AND INCOMPREHENSIBLE?! Come on, tobacco industry, you know better than that! You knew you were dealing with criminals. You should have fought when the time was right, on the grounds of fraud, and falsification of evidence. You should have financed and mobilized your customer base as a political force, instead of letting them down, and fearing public opinion... You let them grab you by the hair and bend you over... now don't complain that they are too rough!

PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY'S WEIGHT STUDY TAINTED?... HELLO ... STARSHIP REALITY CALLS EARTH... PLEASE RESPOND! - "A controversial study concluding overweight people cost employers billions of dollars in sick time and insurance coverage has come under attack as being a tool of a diet-drug company. ... The study, paid for by diet-drug maker Knoll Pharmaceutical, calls obesity a disease and says overweight people are more likely to get heart disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, osteoarthritis and certain cancers. But critics say the pharmaceutical company is using the study to create a market for its prescription diet drug, Meridia."

No kidding, Kerri S. Smith of the Denver Post! ... And why do you think that the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (Johnson & Johnson) finances so heavily the anti-tobacco cartel to lie to the public on tobacco, Ms. Smith? Because they are an honest, generous, altruistic organization that donates hundreds of millions for a holy cause -- maybe to save the children (from what, by the way?)

First rule of business: nobody does anything for anything. RWJF is so generous because it creates a market for its cigarette substitute, the high-power nicotine delivery devices it produces. And the "Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids," just for example, is one of their best promotional tools.

SCREWED PRIORITIES - Heroin use by 12th-graders doubled between 1990 and 1997. It's no coincidence that this increase occured during the Clinton years and the era of fanatical anti-tobacco hysteria. Not one "child" or young person has lost his life due to tobacco "abuse" yet the director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse worries more about the youth smoking cigarettes than using heroin. Read his words and remember that your tax dollars support this dangerous fool.

SUE THE BASTARDS - Five Marquette restaurant owners and the Michigan Restaurant Association have filed a lawsuit against the city over its ban on smoking in restaurants. The ban was enacted for the usual reasons by the usual criminals. The restaurant owners and the Restaurant Association realize that anti-tobacco corruption and political cowardice make legislative solutions impossible. The only course is to take the criminals to court. Win or lose, the owners are acting in self-preservation. Their actions should shame the restaurant and bar owners who persist in believing that their voices count for anything during the tobacco jihad.

SHIP OF FOOLS - How's this for a perfect vacation cruise? Sign a letter promising that you won't light up a cigarette any where while on the ship. If you don't live up to your pledge, you will be booted off at the next port and fined. As disgusting as Carnaval's policy of infantalization is, it does not compare to the insanity of passengers who fork over their money to be treated like a bunch of school girls smoking in the lavatory.

NICOTINE REPLACEMENT - A SCAM - "In reality, the majority of those who use these and similar products return to smoking after a year." Pharmaceutical Companies have been working hand-in-hand with the social engineers in pushing the anti-tobacco agenda forward. Every smoking ban is money in the pocket for the pharmacy companies. Of course smokers don't smoke solely for the nicotine and any coercion gearing them to pharmaceutical nicotine is bound to fail. Twelve states settled with one nicotine manufacturer for pushing its products with false advertising. Although the pay out is tiny, it's encouraging that the drug companies' tactics are being scrutinized.