In 20 years, what smoker will legitimately be able to claim that he or she didn't know cigarettes were harmful or addictive? And how shocked will a jury really be when it hears that a tobacco executive in the 1960s knew about the addictive nature of cigarettes? There's no real evidence that telling kids not to smoke really works. Indeed, studies have shown that it can often have the opposite effect. Children, by their very nature, love to defy authority, and spending millions on advertising to vilify the cigarette could ultimately serve to enhance its appeal. The cigarette is and will continue to be forbidden fruit. Even though the films of Hollywood's Golden Age once portrayed smoking as a normal activity, smoking no longer enjoys such popularity-and for good reason. An estimated 3.5 million people worldwide still die each year from smoking-related illnesses. Through the use of factoids and cartoons, author Gilbert M. Silva illustrates his belief that smokers are victims of what is essentially a ridiculous and deadly activity. The accompanying health statistics and description of consequences caused by the use of tobacco products are indisputable, and they deserve serious consideration. Your body will appreciate it, don't you think? " This is certainly an important topic, and I want to congratulate you on an entertaining and well-produced book." -Diane Scott-Lichter, publishing director, the American Cancer Society