Escape Pod Dreams - 125
Created | Updated May 4, 2006
The Smoking Issue
They control what they wish to and leave be what they don't want to control.
The white world is kicking butt on smoking. They are really really indignant and serious about it. But it doesn't matter. There are many fumes and aerosol pollutants that make people's lives miserable that receive very little control or attention. Have you ever been in the factory area where your computer keyboard or monitor or CPU are manufactured? Do you have any idea what kind of nasty and dangerous chemicals it takes to produce a circuit board? Have you seen what it is like in the casting foundries where they make the parts of your automobile, lawn mower or ornamental fencing? Do you know what it's like for the workers where they make plastic bags or cardboard boxes? Have you ever seen a wooden pallet made? Do you know what it's like in the factory where they make the padding that goes underneath your carpeting? Do you know where coal comes from? Wooden matches? Toys? Have you ever seen the grease trap in the kitchen of your favorite restaurant? There's a lot that stinks out there and is harmful, but they only tackle one thing. And they can only do that because the tobacco industry has diversified itself so much with the money it made off our lungs that if tobacco is banned, they can survive and tackle our lives with some other first hand and second hand addiction. Like shifting all the really nasty habits and industries to countries that are glad to get the money that comes with the stink and the full respiratory wards. China, Russia, India.... During World War II our troops went off to fight fascism, only to come home and find that the homegrown variety had flourished while they were gone. Our troops are fighting again. What are they fighting? And what version of our enemies will they find when they come home?