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November 22, 1999

(Page 3 of 5)

Somewhat obscured by the giddiness over the agreement with China on a World Trade Organization pact is the Clinton administration's move to conduct environmental impact studies of free trade agreements.

The order provides for reports from the government and the private sector on how any future trade deals would affect air, land, water, and wildlife.

Right off the idea bows to greenie assumptions that trade--indeed commerce, or just about any human endeavor--ipso facto harms the environment.

The executive order would apply to all trade negotiations of any kind, including multi-nation agreements under the WTO. Not coincidentally, a big WTO confab will convene in Seattle in several weeks, with throngs of green protesters expected.

Vice President Al Gore wasted no time in trying to take credit for the executive order, predicting it would "revolutionize the way the environment is dealt with in all future trade talks."

For their part, green groups reacted with a yawn. They want a process whereby strict trade protections in Europe and elsewhere, often advanced under enviro-protection cover, trump U.S. pushes for free trade.

http://www.nando.net/healthscience/story/body/0,1079,500058305-500096091-500377310-0,00.html

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- - Smoking by the Numbers - -

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that--surprise--states which grow a lot of tobacco and have low tobacco taxes tend to have more cigarette smokers. Conversely, strong social and religious taboos against smoking produce less smoking.

And, despite the great hue and cry over the evils of tobacco in recent months, the percentage of Americans who smoke remained steady at 22.9 in 1998 compared to 23 percent in 1997.

Kentucky led the nation with a 30.8 percent smoking rate while Utah, home of a strong Mormon Church stand against tobacco, counts 14.2 percent of its population as smokers.

The survey also asked about cigar smoking and found that only 5.2 percent said they had lit one up the past month, a measure of regular smoking. Interestingly, Nevada had the highest rate of current cigar smokers at 7.4 percent.

No doubt the concentration of high rollers.

http://www.charlotte.com/topnews/pub/smoking.htm