Just wondering this morning why anyone would be surprised by this news:
A report released Tuesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed 20.6 percent of adults in the United States smoked regularly in 2009 — the same rate as 2008 and essentially unchanged since 2004, when 20.9 percent smoked. The CDC called it further evidence that declines in the adult smoking rate have stalled after falling steadily from 42.4 percent in 1965.
That this many people still start and continue to smoke in spite of knowing that it may kill them does not surprise me. After all, a national survey released last month by the Pew Research Center found that 18 percent of Americans say President Barack Obama is a Muslim. And a CNN poll last month found that 11 percent of Americans think Obama was “definitely” not born in the United States, while an additional 16 percent think he “probably” isn’t a native-born citizen.
There’s no shortage of bad judgment in this country.
Smoke ’em if you’ve got ’em. Please, just don’t do it around those of us who are smart enough to know better.
Brome Hill 
And while we’re on the subject of stupid: the Iowa Legislature, in its wisdom, passed a law banning smoking in all public places except casinos. What would have been smarter – if you’re not going to ban them everywhere – would have been to let bars decide on their own whether they wanted to be “smoking allowed” or “smoke-free.” The current law has, unfortunately, resulted in more butts on sidewalks outside of businesses and pedestrians having to plow through clouds of smoke outside of bars.
But, then, I’m one of those reformed smokers.