NYT - Best Seller

New York Times

So it takes a reporter from the New York Times, some 4365 miles away, to finally make waves here in Alaska, about the filth and health risks associated with cigarette smoking? When a person of interest, especially outsiders from the east coast, have a better take on what is happening here in the “Lost Frontier”, above and beyond what we locals pay attention to, then we have a problem. And smoking is one particular problem that has not found a whole lot of coverage or for that matter sympathy – but for a reason! Now according to the article by Kirk Johnson, he details how “The Food and Drug Administration is also promoting research-driven conclusions in a $500 million multiyear anti-smoking campaign that began this year, paid for by tobacco companies under a 2009 law passed by Congress. Young people who use tobacco, like young people in general, are fragmented by class, race and geography, the research suggests, and no approach works for all.” And yes, Alaska is fragmented by class, race and geography but regardless of such social dereliction conviction to “Brotherly Love”, we must include “Greed” as it appears Alaska's leaders want our youngsters to puff it out, because the state makes money for every cigarette that is lit up and inhaled. Yes, big money through the continued use and promotion of cancer causing chemically altered tobacco leaves on the roll. Yes we do, as we take some of the money from resource development - oil wealth - and we invest it in tobacco company stocks, and it has paid off handsomely! Currently, Alaskans have made over $25-Million in additional income, from investing in major cigarette company stock! And all those reality shows filmed here in Alaska, it is just a flea-bitten monkey-man way of advertising that cigarette smoking is cool, so it too promotes this bad habit! So we actually don't give a rat's ass, as in some instances, it is mind my money over matter what really matters. Alaska's current tobacco endorsement in the “Stock Exchange” is as follows(Company name followed by Stock purchase/Cost/Street Value/Alaska's Investment Gain):

BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO
11,330/$242,490/$639,561/$397,071

BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO ORD
698,900/$23,824,674/$39,451,817/$15,627,143

IMPERIAL TOBACCO GROUP ORD 10P
278,799/$8,276,490/$12,040,614/$3,764,124

PHILIP MORRIS INTERNATIONAL IN
433,598/$31,135,070/$36,162,073/$5,027,003

Investment: $63,478,725

Street Value: $88,294,065

Alaska's Overall Investment Gain: $24,815,340 or about 100-Million butts!