Career politicians sure have it rough. Press conferences, legislative meetings, big decisions and three-day, fully paid getaways to beachfront resorts – that takes some real dedication.

Republican lawmakers in California (and their aides) grew tired of the dismal Sacramento landscape a couple days ago and decided they needed a change of scenery. Being that the state’s economy isn’t in an ideal position, our politicians chose to sneak away to somewhere prudent, frugal and of course low profile: a luxury beach resort in Santa Barbara.

The three-day event allowed our treasured politicians to spend some much-needed solitude focusing on their tasks at hand. Of course, if they decided that they wanted a little bit of stimulation (you know, to get those legislative juices a-flowin’), they could always take part in the tour of the Ronald Reagan ranch, grab a $300 gift bag, enjoy a gourmet meal or indulge in a cocktail or 12…all of which was paid for by private companies.

Any guesses what type of companies would foot the bill for such a lavish event? You already know.

Among oil companies, casinos and various other slime balls with a political agenda, our good friends in big tobacco shoveled out big bucks to treat people who are already wealthy to a much needed escape from their luxurious, high profile lives. The two largest contributing companies were Chevron and Altria (Philip Morris USA).

When Senate Republican leader Dennis Hollingsworth was questioned by the LA Times about his involvement in the getaway, he declined to answer. Later, his spokesperson, Hector Barajas, informed The Times that “most” attendees actually paid for their own rooms. It was later discovered that these attendees used money from political contributions to pay for their vacay.

Maybe it’s just me but it strikes a very disturbing nerve to find out that this sort of flagrant bribery still works. It’s no secret that tobacco companies rely on lobbying to stay afloat but you’d think that both companies and politicians would have moved on to new methods by now. Instead, our politicians fall for the same tricks that worked 50 years ago. A suite, as many Tom Collins’ as your liver can process, free shell fish and a bag full of tchotchkes somehow STILL justifies allowing deadly products to line shelves.

I can honestly count on one hand the number of friends I have who DON’T smoke. Most of them started when they were in high school so, now in their twenties, they’re coming up on a decade of tobacco dependence — not the sort of occasion that calls for an ice cream cake.

A few months back, while having a few beers at a pub in North County (we, of course, had to sit outside so they could smoke), I looked around the table and realized that not only were we all getting older but that my friends had been roped in by tobacco for nearly one-third of their lives. What was once edgy and cool and potentially led to a prom date in high school, was now causing my friends to be banished outside like dogs, where the only women that came our way were working on their 4th Cosmo, their 5th marriage and their 2nd pack.

Although I was never mesmerized by it, I think my friends all came to the realization that night that the glamor of the cigarette had worn off. Older, addicted and generally unhappy with the effects, they had all separately expressed their desire to quit to me on multiple occasions. So this night, I decided to address them as a group and call them out on their bullsh-t proclamations of wanting to stop.

All in all, it went well. They all agreed that they wanted to quit and they agreed to finally take action.

Fast forward about 3 months… (more…)

I guess you could say that I was an extremely incessant smoker. I could easily light up while having a heart to heart about someone dying of cancer, scrumptiously inhale, exhale and nod my head in agreement at how heartless the disease is. At first word that my grandfather died of heart failure, directly related to smoking, I immediately ran and lit up for comfort. You may ramble off a million reasons for me to quit and I’ll come back with a million and one reasons not to. Sadly, this is very typical of a nicotine addict, whose fear of a slow looming death is oddly fleeting and whose want and will to quit seem powerless over the desire to smoke.

I’ve smoked for 23 years, which is just shy of two thirds of my entire life. I fear the damage that can’t be undone that will most inevitably pay me a visit in the coming years.
Unless you are one of those very fortunate people who wake up one day with an epiphany and quit cold turkey, you WILL need help. (more…)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7475259.stm

They’re back and ready to take over the 3^rd world. Who you might ask who would target the most vulnerable, disease-ridden, war torn parts of the world in hopes to find a new market to target? Well Big Tobacco of course! You’d be hard pressed to find Camel sponsoring the new Faint tour or kiosking at the hottest club openings, but take a trip out to Nigeria and billboards scrape the sides of venues, whose shows are usually without age discrimination. (more…)