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Big Orange Tobacco
Posted By katie allison granju
At The Sunsphere is Not a Wigshop (which has a lovely new header, by the way), they’re talking about UT’s controversial decision to take money from Big Tobacco for a program within the College of Agriculture to support and promote tobacco farming:
…look at the University’s seal: you’ll see “Agriculture” and “Commerce” written in the middle. The Center fulfills one of the oldest charters of UT. It will help farming Tennesseans compete with overseas tobacco growers and be able to make a living off their land. How is this immoral?
The demand for tobacco remains: it is a legal substance. There is a demand worldwide for tobacco. With the CTGR, Tennessee can help its farmers compete if they so choose. I, for one, would love to smoke a Tennessee cigar.
Just because people don’t like being around smoking doesn’t give them the right to judge whether it should be researched or grown. Is it bad for us? Yes. Can we still make adult decisions and smoke in appropriate environments? Yes. NoSIR has driven smoking out of public places (which is not a bad thing). But Mr. Benton doesn’t need to overextend his zeal into the economics of growing tobacco. Either get the government to Prohibit it, or get off of UT’s back.
Mar 5th, 2008
