You naively believe a couple of cigarettes is fine, you can control it, its
not a problem. But you really know that even one is a terrible load of
toxins. Every person out there who sprays to much is under the same grand
delusion.
At the risk of prolonging the agony of this conversation, I must interject. This comparison is faulty. Especially if it leaves out the two key points: 1) dosage; 2) impact on others.
The impact of smoking on non-smokers has been grossly exaggerated. Basically, if you want to smoke it's none of my business. On the one hand people want to ban smoking cigarettes and legalize smoking marijuana. Society is schizophrenic on this one.
The dosage determines the toxicity. Occasional smoking is probably no more dangerous than an occasional visit to New York City or Los Angeles. Toxins are present in the environment, always have been.
All organisms possess evolved mechanisms to cope with toxins. One organism's toxins is another's necessity; for example: for animals CO2 is poison, for plants it's essential. Minerals may be essential as a trace and toxic in large quantities, etc.
This is where science and scientists are of absolute importance. The issue of pesticide use and its impact on non-target organisms cannot be a political football, it must be viewed with a clear mind, the cost/benefit factors weighed, and a fair judgement arrived upon which values the interests of as many stakeholders as possible, including investors, farmers, consumers and the environment.
Not everyone will be happy with a compromise. I would even go so far as to say: nobody will be happy with a compromise. But the opposite result, where one faction dictates the solution, is just another form of tyranny. Whether you have a dictator, mob rule, or open lawlessness -- none of these constitutes the best we can do as people.
PLB
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