Good And Bad News About Tobacco
 Tuesday, August 5th, 2008 by Connie T.
As if I needed another reason to love tobacco, scientists have now
developed a tobacco plant that turns red when there are landmines around. When
the roots of the plant sense nitrogen oxide, the green leaves take on a red pigment
from the gene of tomato plants and apple trees.
According to this
article there are an estimated 80 million landmines buried worldwide. There are
definitely places I've traveled where tourists were warned not to stray off the beaten
path because of them.
There is also bad news, though, in the world of tobacco. Well, for
tobacco users in the U.S., anyway. The U.S. House of Representatives voted last week
in favor of having the FDA regulate tobacco products. This means nicotine may be reduced
to non-addictive levels (does this mean withdrawal for smokers?), brands will not be allowed to use "light" or "ultralight" labeling
(they will go instead by the color of the packaging), and other various changes, including--get this--the
complete banning of candy cigarettes. Some of the President's advisors, however, have
said that they are recommending a veto of the Bill.
Rep. Henry Waxman of California
introduced HR 1108, called the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, which has
not yet been voted on in the Senate (nor signed by President George W. Bush).
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