but they aren’t smokers anymore by the time they are in front of congress talking through a voice box.

i would bet that if you lose your larynx, there isn’t much reason to give up smoking. you already basically got the worst deal. this is all hypothetical and guesswork anyway. maybe you find it unbelievable, but i don’t (of course this should feel familiar). it makes me uncomfortable to speculate this much, and i have even less interest in tracking down the specific facts about tobacco than i do in becoming vegan (take that how you will).

it’s clear that regulation has been able to preceed a decline in use, even against powerful and profitable industries. it’s not clear that a only partially-concerned (since veganism seeks to exclude all exploitation, not limited to diet) ideological boycott has any impact at all.