The new evil empire

National | Now that Joe Camel is conquered, let's broaden the inquiry | Cal Thomas

Tobacco has replaced communism as the evil empire of the '90s.

Twenty-two attorneys general held a news conference to publicly flog the tobacco companies for "lying" and "covering-up" their knowledge that tobacco is addictive and can kill people who use it. The smell of moral triumphalism was thicker than a smoke-filled room. "I believe this is the beginning of the end of this conspiracy of lies and deception," crowed Grant Woods, Arizona's attorney general. "Someone is finally telling the truth," he added.

An admission two weeks ago by the Liggett Group, Inc., is being hailed as a victory for health. Liggett has admitted that smoking causes cancer and other diseases; agreed to provide thousands of pages of internal documents that could damage the larger tobacco companies; and offered a cash settlement to reimburse states for Medicare expenses associated with smoking-related illnesses.