So you thought the government was against addiction even after learning of the tens of billions in direct taxes and settlements with the tobacco industry. I know it is difficult to separate words from actions. Those two facts may not be enough. Here is a third which might finally get you to pay attention to actions rather than words.

To raise tobacco farmers must obtain permits from the US Department of Agriculture. The USDA regulates they types of tobacco which may be grown. The USDA prohibits farmers from growing low nicotine tobacco plants.

The amount of nicotine in tobacco plants varies by the variety from only a trace to so much in one variety that it was used to tip poison arrows. The original "indian" tobacco (rustica) is too strong to use in cigarettes. Farmers could grow varieties with all the taste of tobacco but with less addictive nicotine. The USDA will not permit it on the grounds it would diminish the quality of American produced tobacco.

I can see the reasoning in that position. However one of the "damning" claims against the tobacco companies was that they manipulated the nicotine content of cigarettes. That was the legal wedge against the claim they were only dealing with a natural product.

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