That's right, we've finally gotten some GOOD news about smoking and cigarettes.  MSN recently reported that smoking among young people is the lowest it has been in almost fifty years.  We had been experiencing a slight decrease each year, but after the Just Eliminate Lies campaign really got into full swing, smoking rates took a huge plunge.  Smoking is down among adults as well.  It looks like people are finally aware of what smoking can do to the body.  That, or they just don't want to pay the price to smoke.  I work in a grocery store in Iowa, and a pack of Marlboros here is $3.20 plus tax.  Makes me glad I'm allergic to the tobacco leaf. 

Speaking of tobacco leaves, there's more good news.  The state of Virginia, long known for its immense tobacco industry, has stopped issuing new tobacco rights.  That means that any farmer who can't already legally grow tobacco in Virginia won't be able to start.  And rights aren't transferable, which means that a father cannot pass his tobacco rights to his son.  So, after all the current tobacco growers die (which in itself is NOT a good thing; I'm not wishing death upon anybody) tobacco won't be grown commercially in Virginia anymore.  Also, many states have been increasing the taxes on cigarettes and passing more laws to restrict smoking in public.  It looks like we may actually be on the road to eliminating smoking for good.