Fascinating thread. I believe that good ideas will win out in the long run (see AT&T v. T-Mobile, decriminalization/legalization of you know what, recent efforts to allow cell phone unlocking, etc.). Be smart, stay the course, and take positive action. Try to keep an open mind. Not everything that government does is bad. And conspiracy theories, while fun, can sometimes be counterproductive. Get the middle class, the soccer moms, and the suburban politicians on board and we will ultimately win. The public health benefits are simply to large for any sane person to ignore. If electronic cigarettes and their variants can reduce tobacco-related deaths by 5%, then we are potentially talking about saving as many lives in a 5-year period as all U.S. military causalities since WWII. Regulations surrounding sales to minors, product safety, indoor use, etc. are essentially no brainers and should actually be welcomed. It's kind of like the wild west out there right now. I think one of the bigger battles is going to be related to lost tobacco tax revenues. It's the same problem as newer, more more fuel efficient cars-- yes they are cleaner burning and use less fossil fuel, but they also generate less gas tax revenue which is used to fund the transportation system. E-cigarettes are a game changer- for governments, industries, corporations, local businesses, and consumers.
