NOT AN ADDICTION, JUST NASTY HABIT

When will the American public get their fill of liberal Democrat
politicians lying about their concern for children on the tobacco issue?
They jump at every opportunity to surround themselves with a group of kids
in front of the television cameras and talk about "saving the children."

But all they care about is the tax money that cigarettes can bring in.

If tobacco is as bad as they say it is, why don't they outlaw it to "save
the children," instead of leaving it legal so they can continue taxing it?
This would show that they are really concerned about the children smoking,
and not about more taxing and spending.

And why aren't the liberals as interested in drug and alcohol abuse?
Teen-age drug abuse has doubled since the Clinton administration took
office, and drunken driving-related deaths in the United States were 41,907
in 1995. The liberals don't want to tackle these problems because it won't
increase their taxing and spending.

I do not buy the idea that smoking is an addiction, like drug use is. I was
a smoker for 40 years. I smoked two to three packs a day for the last 20
years of that time and I quit smoking six years ago without experiencing
any withdrawal pains or mental breakdown.

In my opinion, smoking is not an addiction but a nasty habit.

Carroll Stough , Deer Park

Checked-by: Richard Lake