Making cigarettes even less safe (can you believe it?)

This story comes packed with just enough irony of its own: Legislation just passed by Congress abolishes the requirement that the government inspect imported tobacco to ensure it is not laced with chemicals and pesticides banned in the United States but permitted elsewhere. That means imported leaf, which U.S. tobacco companies are increasingly relying on, could make cigarettes even more harmful, said Tom Glynn, director of science and trends for the American Cancer Society. --Nancy Zuckerbrod, " U.S. to Quit Inspecting Tobacco for Banned Chemicals and Pesticides," A.P., Oct. 18, 2004.
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