In 1998, the tobacco industry made a deal with the devil. That is, they settled for nearly $250 Billion with 46 states. Now the federal government hopes to sue them out of existance, to the tune of $280 Billion.

In what would surely bankrupt the industry, the Department of Justice is seeking monetary damages (nearly the size of the federal budget deficit), and wants the tobacco industry to fund programs that will beg people to stop using tobacco. The suit doesn't just accuse tobacco companies of selling a dangerous product, but of racketeering and fraud that goes back as far as the 1950s.

I've long held the belief that the neo-temperance movement will make extraordinary grounds in the next five years, and will ultimately end up banning or effectively banning (for instance pricing them out of business) cigarettes and tobacco. This is certainly a huge step in that direction. Ironically, making cigarettes illegal, or so heavily regulated that buttlegging becomes commonplace, will benefit the regulators the most; with a steady stream of tax dollars coming in for waging the "War on Tobacco". And with illegal cigarettes being sold on the street, they will be more available than ever to young children and teens.