ABSTRACT
The American Cancer Society (ACS), American Lung Association (ALA), and American Heart Association are unquestionably, indubitably, profoundly right on one big issue: smoking is bad for one's health. The ALA supports any and every piece of legislation to regulate, harass, and, eventually ban the wicked weed. The ALA is a constant presence in statehouses across the land, as it lobbies for higher excise taxes on cigarettes and tobacco products, with the tax revenues designated for the ALA and similar groups. The ACS states as its mission "eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives and diminishing suffering from cancer through research, education, advocacy, and service". Despite combined state and federal taxes that boost the price of a pack of smokes by more than a dollar in virtually every state in the union, the ACS and ALA push for even greater hikes.
