Today, I talk tobacco

From the CBC website, today:

“A potentially precedent-setting case against Canada's three biggest cigarette companies begins today in Quebec.

JTI-Macdonald, Imperial Tobacco Canada, and Rothmans, Benson and Hedges face a lawsuit from a group of Quebec smokers who claim the companies duped them for years. The smokers became addicted to cigarettes and suffered serious health problems. They're suing for $27 billion in damages and penalties.

 The case will mark the first time tobacco companies have gone to trial in a civil suit in Canada.”

So, what's my opinion on this whole thing? For one thing, I have known since I was old enough to understand what smoking cigarettes actually was that the various ingredients in it (including tobacco) cause all sorts of undesired negative health effects, not the least prominent of which is cancer. I'm also aware that long-time smokers, however, were not made aware by anyone that smoking caused these negative health effects. So perhaps they have a case – I don't know.

Then I thought about it from a business perspective. The tobacco companies are selling a product that is almost guaranteed to kill its own customers after a certain amount of time. Why would you sell a product that has such a high potential to kill your customer? Now, I realize that cars kill people, and toys and other items kill people, but that's not their cause d'etre. The tobacco plant clearly evolved its toxic effects toward humans in order to avoid being consumed by us, and we not only completely ignored it, but decided "Let's make this extra 'fun' by putting things like cyanide and chemical waste in there. Yeah! That sounds like a great idea!" 

 

I'd really like to know what was going through the first human being's mind when they decided “Hey, let's light this on fire, and suck it up to see what happens.” That must have been Darwinism at work, because they probably got addicted, or at least made a habit of smoking tobacco on a regular basis, and ended up dying from its effects later in life, completely unaware that it was killing them. And yet, whomever it was had the additional stupidity to suggest to other people to try it as well.

Anyway, those who grew up thinking smoking was just something fun or cool to do – they may have a case. Those who should know better – either don't smoke, or do your best to quit smoking. There are plenty of other options out there.