As we are seeing with the opioid crisis, and as we experienced with numerous other historic injustices, it can take a long time for governments to act forcefully to protect a shamed and marginalized group. An ongoing tragic example is the treatment by the federal government of people who smoke cigarettes.

We know that smoking is deadly and addictive. It is directly responsible for over 100 deaths a day in our country; our largest cause of preventable death. [...]