Many American activist groups believe that cigarettes are creating a huge health crisis in our nation today. Their television, newspaper, and magazine ads demonize the tobacco industry because their products have the ability to kill people if used in excess. Yet, I have not seen one television ad telling the "truth" about the consequences of drinking Coca-Cola in excess. I have yet to see the picket lines and sit-ins at the KFC's around our nation. I have yet to see thousands of angst-ridden college students flock to McDonald's and begin falling over, clutching their hearts in order to show the customers the number of heart attacks caused by their food. For some reason, America has focused in on the tobacco industry with all of the fervor and intent to deprive others of their rights as those who took part in killing young girls for witchcraft some time ago in Salem, Massachusetts.

Wake up America! Yes, cigarettes can be harmful if consumed excessively, however, so can fried chicken. Many products in the American market have the ability to cause, and have caused, death for consumers who have procured these products. The automobile has taken an extensive amount of lives since the first motor car rambled into the streets. Electric companies have been responsible for many deaths due to electrocution and fast food companies are almost solely responsible for the heart disease and obesity epidemic in the United States today. So, why the tobacco companies? It is merely mob mentality. One person decides that they hate smoking and tobacco use because their Uncle Bob died from excessive use of the product and vowed revenge. However, if Uncle Bob were still here, he'd probably say something like "why do you believe that you have a right to infringe on the life, liberty and pursuit of happiness of others?"

If we go along with the thought process of the activists, then we would need to tear down, degrade and destroy any company in our country that released any merchandise with the ability to kill. Furthermore, we would need to ban all things that become addictive, such as fast, soda pop, coffee, etc. so that we could make certain that no one would become addicted to anything, or enjoy their lives freely, ever again.

Tobacco usage pales in comparison to the number of deaths caused by sober drivers, drunk drivers, heart disease caused by food consumption, and the plethora of other products produced by American manufacturers that have killed many in our country. We, as informed Americans, should realize that if all companies who produce something harmful were stopped, then the only company that would be making anything would be Fisher Price, who would inevitably put out a product sooner or later that would be responsible for someone's death, such as lead based toys.