I'd suggest giving MIL a little slack.
Sorry, but you said she's never been a smoker. She's probably doesn't have the insight and the knowledge to know SMOKE KILLS, not nicotine, and how we've been so mislead by the "Let Me Help You" nutcases of the world, the ones who write this clap trap and belong to the ALA and ASH and WHO. Now we are gaining a little insight into that very theory.
She is also probably a member of a generation that thought their Government was looking out for their interests and the "good of all" while the FDA cleared the way for Big Pharma and Big Tobacco to wiggle into the Big Brother society's plan to rule the world with BS!! We've been shielded from so much truth for so long how can MIL possibly know about this stuff. Where's your brain!?? How in the world would any one person know which side to believe unless they become educated about all sides??
And she probably hasn't kept up much on current trends, you should be the one informing her from what you're learning, why should she be worrying about you....she maybe has good reason to!! Every generation in the history of the world thought their parents were idiots. Until they became parents of teen agers!
Do some research on technical data. It's all over the place. Then you can start educating MIL with some facts, not just expecting her to know everything about everything and glibbly wise cracking about her ignorance. That's an entirely wrong attitude. That's the impatience and impertinance of youth. Time to grow up and learn that Knowledge is Power, share it forward. Become the teacher. Maybe if MIL had a deeper sense you have a handle on things, she'll be able to relax knowing you're in capable hands ~ Yours!
