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<div style="text-align: justify">FORCES International is proud to present a new columnist, Robert Prasker.</div>

<div style="text-align: justify">We open 2009 with this interesting piece by Pierre Lemieux, member of the <a href="https://www.forces.org/static_page/hc/index.php">FORCES International Honour Committee</a>, that has been published by the <i>Ottawa Citizen</i>.</div>

<div style="text-align: justify">Frankly, only imbeciles can believe that hiding cigarettes under tobacconists’ counters can &ldquo;prevent&rdquo; people old and young from buying cigarettes. John Luik and Patrick Basham expound eloquently at the linked article.</div>

<div style="text-align: justify">At the fag end of 2008, two experts look back at puffed-up claims about smoking bans and the &lsquo;obesity epidemic.&rsquo;</div>

<div style="text-align: justify">Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar&rsquo;s. We often insult&nbsp;tobacco control&nbsp;because it deserves no respect. However, as a good Christmas deed, this time we say thank you.</div>

<div style="text-align: justify">For years tobacco consumers have been flocking to Virginia to take advantage of the 30 cents-per-pack cigarette tax in order to avoid taxes in Maryland and Washington, DC, where the tax is currently $2.00 per pack. This week Gov. Tim Kaine proposed doubling Virginia’s cigarette tax to 60 cents per pack in an attempt to fill the state’s budget deficit.</div>

<div style="text-align: justify;">Except for very important news, the publication of FORCES International is suspended with this last update of Friday 19th. We will be back on line effective Monday January 5th, 2009. Here are a few thoughts for&nbsp;your holidays&hellip;</div>

<div style="text-align: justify">Tom DeWeese, chairman of the American Policy Center, recently issued an urgent alert regarding a revived effort to assemble a modern Constitutional Convention.</div>

Beautiful Bettie Page dies at age 85, a long life by anyones’ slide rule.&nbsp;Her death was&nbsp;certainly &quot;premature&quot;, and she was a smoker.<br />

<div style="text-align: justify;">Recently a member of FORCES made a trip with family to Disney World in Orlando, Florida. The following review of their experiences, both on and off the Disney property, should be of particular interest for readers considering a family vacation there.</div>