New Curbs on Cigarette Smoking
In response to “Smoking: All Clear (Cough, Cough),” editorial, Feb. 25:
Your editorial once again emphasizes the devastating effects tobacco has on our population. The fact that 390,000 Americans can be expected to die this year from tobacco-related illnesses (more than the number of Americans killed in World War II), should make our legislators in Washington, D.C., realize that the time has come to stop subsidizing the tobacco industry.
Tobacco companies spend $6.9 million a day, $2.5 billion annually, advertising and promoting their addictive drug. Sen. Bill Bradley (D-N.J.) has presented a proposal to deny tax deductions for tobacco advertising. Hopefully, the powerful bloc of Southern senators and the tobacco lobby can be broken.
HERBERT A. WASSERMAN
Hemet
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