As an ex-three-pack-a-day smoker for nine years, I could not disagree with this column more. Any rational person, even in 1964, knew that smoking was bad for one's health. How? "Smoker's cough." When I started smoking, in 1972, I was clearly aware of the health risks. The fact that I chose to ignore them was my responsibility, not the tobacco companies'. Many products have significant health risks -- candy, meat, alcohol, prescription drugs, guns, knives, cars, etc. Under this "blame the maker" rationale, there is no health problem that cannot be blamed on someone else. It's about time people took responsibility for their own problems, realized that they eventually will die, and quit wasting all this time and energy blaming someone else. $3 billion will not bring this smoker's health back, nor make him happier. It will just raise tobacco prices for folks who already can't afford it. And it's not as if his health plan is refusing to cover him because of his habit, as insurers routinely do for natural disasters such as flooding, when living in a flood-prone area.

-- Al McClain

The habitual use of tobacco in any form was labeled a filthy, disgusting habit for centuries before warning labels on cigarette packs were mandated in 1965. That snuff caused cancerous lesions in the sinuses was known as far back as the 1700s. That smoking affected stamina was well known by the 19th century in sporting circles. In fact, in the 1890s there was a strong anti-smoking movement that the tobacco industry overcame only with great effort.

Whelan would have us believe that smokers are confused by our culture's fixation on risk, which makes it difficult to distinguish between real and hypothetical danger. While it's true that we are constantly bombarded with hysterical and even contradictory messages about things that are bad for us, there is no way that a smoker can claim not to notice the effects smoking has on his or her health.

The big scare about smoking is cancer. But years before we get to that stage, smoking gives us plenty of notice that it's not good for us. We hack up balls of brownish phlegm, we suffer from chronic bronchitis, we wheeze, we gasp, we endure coughing fits, headaches and heartburn.

And all the time we know damn well it's from smoking. We're not confused, we are simply in denial. Any honest ex- or current smoker will admit to this.

And while I have no sympathy for the tobacco industry, it is not to blame for the denial of its customers. We could just as easily, and more logically, blame the U.S. government. After all, the government allows the sale of tobacco, and further, the government has even promoted the use of tobacco (specifically but not exclusively in the armed forces).

-- Walt Roberts

I am sorry that Mr. Boeken is dying as a result of a lifetime of smoking. But given the fact that he smoked two packs a day for the amount of time he did, he should feel lucky he is still around at 58 years.

If someone habitually smokes two packs a day, that person is an idiot, plain and simple. They made the decision to throw away their health, and since they obviously don't value their own life, they shouldn't be entitled to a cent from the tobacco companies once that life is threatened as a result of their own actions.

-- Chris Meyer

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