I am writing this letter to address a problem that has affected all life on earth for over 100 years and continues to cause both illness and death to a “huge”, but unknown number of humans world wide.

I am talking about smoking, i.e. cigarettes. It is a known fact that tobacco use is a significant and serious contributor to many health problems, often resulting in death. Then why does the government of the United States continue to allow tobacco to be grown and distributed as “cigarettes.”

This a perfect example of what is wrong with our government. Lobbyists, elected officials make big bucks insuring that an industry that is totally detrimental to all Americans continues to exist, making a bundle of money and killing Americans addicted to their “poison.”

I urge our elected representatives to take a stand and  show some guts. Start the process to eliminate the production and sale of all tobacco products by the year 2022.

Edmund H Lewis  Farmington