April 14, 1999

The 'anti's' are attacking tobacco again

While farmers have been busy sowing their greenhouses and selling tobacco, the anti-tobacco zealots have also had a busy spring trying to sow something much different - stronger anti-tobacco measures.    The "anti's" have lobbied government intensively, favouring anti-tobacco legislation, anti-tobacco taxes in some provinces, and lawsuits against tobacco companies.   The anti-tobacco lobby has been supported by the Mcguinty Liberals, who have attacked the Mike Harris government for being pro-tobacco.

Anti-tobacco activists, like many others in the "anti" crowd - anti-hunting, anti-fishing, anti-gun -   are intent on telling people what to do.   They think that government should meddle in the lives of ordinary people, and regulate behaviour.   These are the same people that oppose our government's anti-crime initiatives, blaming society for the actions of an individual.

I oppose suing tobacco companies.    Local people have told me: anything that hurts the tobacco industry also harms our local farmers.    What hurts farmers also impacts our entire local economy.   If a tobacco company is hit by a lawsuit and forced to pay damages, the impacts will be felt very quickly at the farm level.   Anti-tobacco activists believe that farmers will not be impacted, but local people know tobacco companies will look to cover losses by lowering input costs - that is, the price paid for tobacco.

Tobacco is a legal product - a legal product that is banned from advertising, cannot be used in many public places, and is hit with very high taxes that are siphoned off and used to discourage the use of the product.   Tobacco farmers, and the industry, have taken all these measures in stride.   Now the anti-tobacco crowd is lobbying for more government regulation, higher taxes, and for government to penalize companies who provide jobs, pay taxes, and foot the bill for many cultural and arts events.   This flies in the face of what people told the government before it was elected - get government out of our face and out of our pocketbooks.

Local people need to speak up against the actions of anti-tobacco activists.    These lobbyists are paid to do nothing more than pressure government to enact tougher measures against tobacco, or even eliminate tobacco use.   For our area - where tobacco produces 9,423 full-time equivalent jobs - the anti-tobacco zealots pose a serious threat to the future of jobs and families.

Governments across Canada have felt increased pressure to join lawsuits against tobacco companies.    What began as just another step in the U.S. style of litigation has now spread to include the socialist government in British Columbia - and the "anti's" are pressuring all provincial governments to follow suit.   What those favouring lawsuits fail to take into account is that Canadian governments have levied high taxes on tobacco for years - high taxes meant to pay for health costs related to smoking and for anti-smoking programs for young people.    Billions of dollars are collected in tax each year from tobacco products and government cannot have it both ways.

Despite what the "anti's" believe, government cannot solve all problems through interference or suing people or companies.   The decision to smoke is made by informed consumers - consumers who have been subjected to warning labels on packages for years.    The responsibility of government is to inform consumers of the risks involved in using a legal product.