Have No Sympathy...Have No...
"Disregarding issues of tobacco use and health...," quite a nifty phrase to make a sob story out of an economic story about the demise of a dangerous product [cover story, Nov. 9].
However, I still have no sympathy for anyone who bemoans the passing of tobacco farming. The allotment system mentioned in the article has entrenched certain tobacco farmers in a market with no local competition, where they reap better profits through this privilege than their non-tobacco farming associates. It's easy to see that the tobacco farmers aren't looking forward to the type of farming most people have to struggle with.
I have no sympathy for anyone who has known for years that tobacco products kill people more certainly and abundantly than poppy, marijuana, and coca crops. Yet these East Tennessee tobacco farmers have put their desire for a profitable crop before the wellbeing of the population, knowingly sustaining the health tragedy their crop has created.
From a purely economic perspective, seems like a bright tobacco farmer would have seen the handwriting on the wall and started making adjustments in livelihood 20 years ago. I am certain that there are many fine tobacco farmers around, as there were once many fine muleskinners and blacksmiths. Time to move on and to be happy to move into an occupation that doesn't directly contribute to hundreds of thousands of deaths.
Disregarding issues of the appropriateness of this laudatory story possibly influencing impressionable readers into thinking tobacco and smoking aren't so bad, it was another Metro Pulse article that tries so hard to make most everything in East Tennessee seem important and worthy, which is certainly not the case.
Richard Wall
Knoxville
In Tribute to the Late Poet, Angie
On Oct. 30th
I told Angie Comer
"Remember me when you go corporate!"
and "Come with me to Aikido."
She said, "I have to get things ready for tomorrow night"
and "See you in the check-out"
Now she is ever more non-corporate.
We miss you Angie and Doc. Party on. . .
Love,
Evelyn and Jerry Winther
Knoxville
Use Tobacco Money for Prevention
During 1998-1999, the tobacco industry spent millions of dollars to promote cigarette smoking. While the tobacco industry's funding is virtually unlimited, funding for smoking prevention and cessation programs is difficult to come by.
The state of Tennessee is currently receiving a substantial sum of money from a 1998 multi-state tobacco settlement. The amount of money will be between $156 million and $204 million. The original settlement was based on the fact that the settlement money was to be used for preventative measures for adolescents and children. Unfortunately, the settlement money was not earmarked for this purpose. The states can use the money at their discretion for whatever they deem necessary.
The governor is assembling a committee of five state Senate members and five state House members to determine how the settlement money will be used in Tennessee. A portion of the money should be used to implement a smoking prevention program in schools.
The statistics are disturbing; adolescents are starting to smoke at younger ages. Measures need to be taken to intervene in this problem. The money necessary to start a program to benefit the health of our children is now present. The state legislators need to be informed that as citizens of Tennessee we want to take part in a program that will help our youth.
The resources are there; however, we must let the legislators know we want the money to be used for health-related programs focusing on prevention. I encourage everyone to take an active role in the health of adolescents, to communicate your concerns to your state representatives before the January legislative session begins.
Shawntal Etherton
Knoxville
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