Blowing Smoke Over Common Knowledge

Gilbert L. Ross (“Big Tobacco’s No. 1 Lie Is That ‘Everyone Knows,’ ” Commentary, Aug. 2) wonders if Americans “really know” the dangers of lighting up. After all, after 20-plus years as an internist, why, even he thought smoking was just “risky.” Come on, Dr. Ross, do you really expect us to believe that? Does the buyer of a pack of cigarettes have no obligation to read the warning label? Are the words “may cause cancer” too vague? Should every buyer of cigarettes be forced to read a definition of cancer and provide his or her initials before leaving the counter?

Tobacco companies are hardly run by choirboys. Certainly they are guilty of, at the very least, questionable marketing and other business practices. However, accusing them of perpetuating a campaign of “everyone knows” is simply ridiculous. Guess what, everyone does know.

Christopher Freeland

Oak Park