So for three years now, rates of cigarette smoking in the United States have not declined. Horrors! Guess who some activists blame: "Other anti-tobacco advocates said they think the Bush administration has not treated tobacco control as a priority and has not highlighted or promoted the issue. The smoking rates reflected that approach in part, they said. William Corr, executive director of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, said the administration has been "AWOL regarding tobacco control -- doing little or nothing." He called it "inexcusable that elected leaders have not done more given the overwhelming scientific evidence of what works to reduce tobacco use among both children and adults."
Hmmm. There are already huge taxes on cigarettes. Among young people, the anti-smoking message is everywhere. The same message is on TV and other media. Many cities are prohibiting smoking in public places. There's a direct warning about the danger to your health on every cigarette pack. Yet some wish to claim that not enough is being done??? Please.
I suspect some young people smoke precisely BECAUSE of all the endless drumbeating against it. They enjoy being rebels. Ramping up the anti-smoking campaign even louder may backfire. But I doubt the anti-tobacco zealots could ever bring themselves to even countenance such a apossibility.
