I lost my grandfather to lung cancer in 1996, so smoking has always been a sore spot with me. According to the American Lung Association, over 392,000 Americans die from tobacco-caused diseases every year. Another 50,000 die from exposure to secondhand smoke. Due to the carcinogenic properties of secondhand smoke, I support smoking bans in public places. Of course, adults are free to inhale toxic chemicals if they so choose, but as a matter of public health they should not be able to exhale them wherever they choose. Again, according to the ALA's data, there are over 600 ingredients in a cigarette. When burned, that cigarette emits 4,000 chemicals.
It's certainly not news that tobacco companies routinely target their products at kids. And why wouldn't they! If they're losing around a quarter of a million customers every year because, you know, their products have been KILLING THEM OFF, they better do some recruiting. After all, tobacco company executives have families to feed, mansions to maintain, and politicians to pay. Corporate influence over our political system disgusts me more than just about anything, but I don't feel like getting into that today. Instead, I just want to read the dictionary.
I looked up the definition of "Terrorism" on Dictionary.com. Here's what it says:
1. The use of violence and threats to intimidate and coerce, esp. for political purposes.We are all free to draw our own conclusions about who fits that description, but I'm just going to say that I don't think it applies solely to radical Islamic fundamentalists.
2. The systematic use of violence and intimidation to achieve some goal.
3. The unlawful use or threat of violence esp. against the state or the public as a politically motivated means of attack or coercion.
4. Violent and intimidating gang activity.
5. A terroristic method of governing or of resisting a government.
Long story short, you should totally check out The Insider if you've never seen it before. I think it is a tense, well-paced, and compelling story.
