‘Smokers Stand Alone in Blame’
Machan’s article misses the point. Most of the plaintiffs suing tobacco companies started smoking before the surgeon general’s warning--before smoking was widely recognized as dangerous. There were even advertisements showing that doctors liked to smoke a certain brand of cigarette. Anyone who started smoking at that time can hardly be held responsible for putting his or her health in jeopardy. And if the plaintiffs are still smoking today, it may be because nicotine is more addictive than heroin, another fact the tobacco companies forgot to mention.
DAN TENENBAUM
Los Angeles
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