"The progress of the tobacco trade…is certainly one of the most curious that commerce presents. That a plant originally smoked by a few savages, should succeed, in spite of the most stringent opposition in Church and state...... to increase with the increase of time, and to end in causing so vast a trade and so large an outlay of money; is a statistical fact, without an equal parallel."
F.W. Fairholt, "Tobacco: Its History and Associations", 1859.
Some people's views on tobacco are much the same now as they were in the 1850's.
The above quotes are from the British American Tobacco New Zealand website. Go to the history links if nothing else. Worth the read.
British American Tobacco New Zealand
You will notice as you look over these pages, I hope, a sense of history. Both sides of my family go back to the 1500's. All through school, every year, the teachers would dutifully ask "Tell us your country of origin" and every year we would explain that we were mongrels. A little bit of everything except Black or Mexican with no guarantees on that. Very few ladies in our lineage, a lot of strong independent women. History is part of our family culture, along with an absolute belief in respect, tolerance and acceptance towards lifestyle, religious, ethnic and cultural differences. The only thing to fear are those who try to impose their beliefs on others.
An international group of political and social elitists, funded by pharmaceutical companies and various non-profit health associations, willing to impose on smokers social isolation and ridicule for their own good is an excellent example. The current global warming campaign is another. 30 or 40 years ago, those same statistics were used as dire warnings of a new ice age beginning in the next 100 years as a result of the over use of freon in everything from auto air conditioning to hair spray, or so they claimed. Freon was outlawed. Thank God they need tax money! Keeps tobacco safe for now.
For smokers the problem is all the accepted evidence is based for the most part on junk science. What we need is:
1. Find a large group spanning decades containing smokers and non-smokers.
2. Find and organize funding for an objective study.
I believe the answer to problem 1 is in the State of Michigan. Some 30 odd years ago, when the hate campaign was just starting, the United Auto Workers union got language put into their union contact with General Motors granting smoking rights to the workers. Now, General Motors has been in Flint a long time, I would guess at least 60 or 70 years? The work force, smoking and non-smoking, very likely numbers ten's of thousand's. Looks like a good sized study group to me.
The SmokersTees Challenge is solving the second problem. Organizing, funding, and conducting the Mother of all Smoking Studies.
The American Cancer Society need not apply.
August 2008: Challenge update. Seems UAW won the same rights for workers at Caterpillar in Peoria, Il. The union has filed a suit against the company for violating the contract with a Smoking Ban. How big should this study be? How many more contracts are out there? Read the story here.
Smoking Ban at Caterpillar Fires up Unions
NOTE: June 2009 This challenge was on the main page for awhile, now I've decided to expand on the history aspect. For example, were the founding fathers looking at Freedom of Religion or were they looking for Freedom from Religion. Several were in fact Deists, no organized religion for them, only a belief in a higher power. It usually takes months, but I think it will be worth it. I hope. Check back often, see how I'm doing. Have a great day.
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