‘Smokescreen:’ Proposition 99

As Ronald Reagan might say, “There they go again.” Eastern tobacco interests are inundating us with deceptive radio advertising conceived to defeat Proposition 99. The message, or should I say pretext, is that should Proposition 99 pass, law enforcement will be spending time pursuing “cigarette smugglers.” It’s reminiscent of when they warned us that banning smoking in grocery stores and other public buildings would force law enforcement officers to spend all their time arresting smokers. Well, obviously that never happened. Does anyone really believe their concern is the priorities of our law enforcement officers?

At $2 per day, 50 million smokers generate an enormous amount of revenue for the high-profit tobacco industry. Much of it, of course, is earmarked for glamorous promotions which entice our youth to habituate their deadly product, but it still leaves them with adequate funding to control specific election issues. They do this by bombarding us with these unopposed, self-aggrandizing commercials.

At a time when we teach our children to “say no to drugs,” perhaps we should set an example by voting against all drug peddlers--legal or otherwise.

SAM NALL

Bakersfield