Jay Taylor, Durbin, N.D., letter: Funding vaccinates against tobacco ‘virus’

DURBIN, N.D. — Suppose I were to come forward with irrefutable evidence of a virus (like scientists did with bird flu). Suppose I showed that this virus would kill a half-million people including 900 North Dakotans every year. Suppose that the ones that this virus didn’t kill would stay sick for a long time.

And suppose that worldwide, this virus would kill 1 billion people this century.

If all of that were to happen, I’m pretty sure that our government would amass money, troops and the Centers for Disease Control to go out and battle this virus. Any individual legislators who fought against this battle would be ridiculed out of office.

Folks, this virus is real: It’s called tobacco, a legal product made by corporate giants who have been found guilty twice of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (commonly referred to as RICO Act or RICO). They happily pay fines because they know they have developed a product that is so addictive, most people can’t quit without help. They have lots of money.

There is hope and help for victims of this disease, but currently some North Dakota legislators are working feverishly to pull funding (HB 1353) so that this disease can run amok, unchecked and untreated like it has since the original tobacco companies imported slave labor to harvest tobacco crops.

I urge Herald readers to contact their legislators today and beg them to pay attention to the tobacco virus and fight it in any way they can.

Jay Taylor

Taylor is a respiratory therapist.

Tags: in the mail, und medical school, bob skarphol, tobacco settlement, university system, opinion, smoking, health