This isn't an anti-smoker post. Mostly. The target of my indignation isn't the folks who keep buying the cigarettes - it's the corporations that are making billions of dollars exploiting people. Folks on the political left attack walmart and home depots for destroying economies and ruining diversity... but I really don't see a lot of folks on the left decrying the business practice of the tobacco industry.
I think it *might* have something to do with the disproportionate number of folks on the left that happen to smoke... but that's speculation based on personal observation, on account of my lack of data on the subject.
Anyhow, it turns out that the Tobacco industry has been increasing the level of nicotine in cigarattes over the last several years. Paritcularly, cigarettes known by the industry to be purchased most by teens and minorities. Isn't that nice.
More details here: at my site.
