Issue: Tobacco
Date: October 9, 2004
Author: Ken Larsen

Citizen:
Dear Ken Larsen,
The big cigarette companies, alone, are now spending more than $30 million per day to promote their products. It's no wonder 2,000 more kids become addicted smokers every day. One in three will die prematurely.

Ken's response:
The First Amendment guarantees to the tobacco companies the right to advertise their products as long as they are not committing slander or libel. Shucks, if it were the government's job to prevent advertising of products that are harmful, that would eliminate most political ads.

Citizen:
Despite this tremendous toll, tobacco products remain virtually unregulated and hardly any states are keeping their promise to use tobacco settlement money for tobacco prevention.

Ken's response:
Americans should be free to choose to buy something that is harmful to their health. You are free to choose to engage in any act that does not harm others, even if it does increase your chances of getting some terrible disease and dying sooner than otherwise. Government is not our mommy or daddy. I'm very much opposed to the tobacco settlement. Honest production and sales of a harmful product is protected by the Constitution. Otherwise, we might have to outlaw Twinkies and Big Macs.

Citizen:
You can be a leader in reducing tobacco's toll. These policies can protect our kids and save lives:

Ken's response:
I support each individual's right to choose their risks. Would you outlaw bungee jumping?

Citizen:
Funding Tobacco Prevention Programs

Ken's response:
If elected, I will take an oath to uphold the Constitution. Can you show me where the Constitution makes it the government's job to advertise against tobacco, or any other harmful product or activity?

Citizen:
Regulating Tobacco Products

Ken's response:
I would only regulate tobacco to prevent force or fraud. If the product is what it says it is, there is no crime.

Citizen:
Increasing Tobacco Taxes

Ken's response:
The purpose of taxation is to raise revenue, not regulate products. I would make the tax on tobacco the same as the tax on milk or bread or marijuana.

Citizen:
Sponsoring Clean Indoor Air Legislation

Ken's response:
I have carefully reviewed the medical research. There is no statistical evidence that second hand smoke is a health hazard. Some people find it offensive. But their health is not endangered. The propaganda against second hand smoke is just that, propaganda. Believe me, as an Associate Professor of Medicine, I have personally checked it out. The Utah Indoor Clean Air Act is based on lies.

Citizen:
Aggressively enforcing the terms of the lawsuit settlement with the tobacco industry.

Ken's response:
There was no reason to sue the tobacco industry.

Citizen:
There is much elected officials can do to protect our kids from Big Tobacco. For information on what you can do, go to www.KidsBeforeProfits.org today. I urge you to make preventing tobacco use among kids a major focus of your agenda, both during your campaign and after the election --and I look forward to hearing your views on each of these important strategies for reducing tobacco use and its enormous harms and costs.

Ken's response:
My job as Governor will be to uphold the US and Utah Constitutions. It will not be my job to interfere in the free choices of individuals to take harmful substances into their bodies, or to suggest to others that they do so. You don't deserve praise for choosing good if you are not free to choose evil. I will respect everyone's personal choice whether to smoke or to be around others who do.

Thank you for your inquiry.

Ken Larsen, Candidate for Governor
Personal Choice Party