Why would a socially responsible person support the Merchants of Death?

“The Mod Squad” was a TV show about a band of young, hip, crime stoppers who were invincible to gun shots, car chases, drugs and more. A show with an attitude…the cockiness, the invincibility of youth.

The MOD squad in a recent fictionalized movie called “Thank you For Smoking” is quite a different group. This portrayal of a different kind of M.O.D squad (self-titled Merchants Of Death) was comprised of lobbyists for the Tobacco, Alcohol and Firearms industries. The question for us to answer, is….why would a socially responsible person support the Merchants of Death?

The following warnings are on every cigarette pack sold in the U.S.:

SUREGEON GENERAL’S WARNING:
Smoking Causes Lung Cancer, Heart Disease, Emphysema and May Complicate Pregnancy.

SURGEON GENERAL’S WARNING:
Quitting Smoking Now Greatly Reduces Serious Risks to Your Health.

SURGEON GENERAL’S WARNING:
Smoking By Pregnant Women May Result in Fetal Injury, Pre-mature Birth and Low Birth Weight.

SURGEON GENERAL’S WARNING:
Cigarette Smoke Contains Carbon Monoxide

Smoking is the largest preventable cause of premature death in the United States, directly responsible for more than 440,000 deaths per year-more than all of the deaths associated with AIDS, alcohol, cocaine, heroin, homicide, suicide, auto accidents and fire combined. Short-term effects from tobacco use include an increase in blood pressure, heart rate and breathing rate. The long-term effects include cancers and diseases of the heart, arteries, and other organs. Smoking also causes emphysema and bronchitis, while increasing the risks of other diseases, such as strokes, osteoporosis, and diabetes. Women who smoke during pregnancy endanger the developing fetus; the effects of second-hand smoke put nonsmokers at risk for health problems, as well.

Despite these dangers, the tobacco industry continues to recruit new customers through aggressive advertising. Each day, 2,000 more American kids take up the habit.

Over 50,000 people in the US die each year as a result of exposure to secondhand smoke. The loss of life, and the costs of treating smoking-related illnesses - estimated by the U.S. Surgeon General to be over $60 billion a year - are unacceptable in and of themselves. In addition, the indirect costs of lower productivity and shorter lives make the long-term costs of tobacco product use indefensible.