Many of you have spent long years in the trenches of the tobacco wars. Some are relatively new to the subject. But I trust all of you are aware of the painful history of America's well-intentioned but naive and fruitless efforts to bring this industry to bay. Every time we think we're dancing on this industry's grave, they have instead found a way to keep dancing on those of our loved ones, by the hundreds of thousands. Ladies and gentlemen, in my office we enforce the consumer protection laws of our state.
Golden promises count for nothing.
Third, we tell them to be suspicious of salesmen who say that you have to sign the deal today, and you can't take the time to think about it. In fact, that's often the best warning signal that it's time to get out your magnifying glass and a fine-tooth comb to find the hidden danger. We're counting on you to help us think this through. Not just to analyze and critique the sketch proposal that's being brought forward. We're looking to you to help us think through, in the broadest sense, what this industry should look like when we win the tobacco wars.