Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!hoptoad!uunet!labrea!mcnc!rutgers!bellcore!wind!tr From: tr@wind.UUCP Newsgroups: alt.flame Subject: Logic of tobacco and illegal drugs (was: Crime notes) Message-ID: <3160@bellcore.bellcore.com> Date: Tue, 20-Oct-87 08:03:45 EDT Article-I.D.: bellcore.3160 Posted: Tue Oct 20 08:03:45 1987 Date-Received: Thu, 22-Oct-87 21:48:17 EDT References: <21300@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU> <3144@bellcore.bellcore.com> <7202@eddie.MIT.EDU> Sender: news@bellcore.bellcore.com Reply-To: tr@wind.UUCP (tom reingold) Distribution: na Organization: Bellcore, Morristown, Noo Joizy Lines: 25 In article <7202@eddie.MIT.EDU> ooblick@eddie.MIT.EDU (Mikki Barry) writes: $ [...] $ Reagan threw 3.8 billion at the [drug] problem, and what happened? Not $ much. 3.8 BILLION dollars for a problem that takes approximately $ 3500 lives per year, while at the same time PAYING farmers to $ produce a drug that kills 1.2 MILLION people per year - tobacco. $ Now that's logic for you! I don't think anyone would contend that it's logical. Legal drugs are a barbed hook. It would be better if they were on equal status with drugs that are presently illegal. (That is to say they should be all legal or all illegal, whichever you care to argue.) But changing the status would be more harmful now than leaving things as they are. This is life on the planet earth. Anti-smokers like me are glad to know that smoking is sharply on the decline here in the U.S. and I think it is by choice. It's so serious that tobacco companies are now diversifying and investing in things like FOOD! So here is a real solution that is coming about without legislation. Tom Reingold INTERNET: tr@bellcore.bellcore.com Bell Communications Research UUCP: !bellcore!tr 435 South St room 2L350 SOUNDNET: (201) 829-5119 [work] Morristown, NJ 07960 (201) 287-2345 [home]