Smoke Rings

I read the article, “Smoke Rings” by Dahlia Lithwick. The issue at hand deals with the legality of “low-tar” labeling. The main point to the essay is to broadcast the deception of many cigarette companies. She explains that the states-rights are taken over by the federal pre-emption when complex legal problems arise. The biggest issues at hand is consumer-protection. Recently, many lawsuits have been filed because cigarette labels are misleading. The labels have claimed that “low-tar” and “light” cigarettes are better or healthier for you than the regular ones, and that simply is not the case. The voice of the article is very informative. In order to establish ethos, Lithwick, uses many facts and quotes from the cigarette companies and Congress to build her argument. Majority of her article is built on factually information. However, at some parts of the essay, Lithwick changes her voice to a more satirical tone; the (sometimes) dramatic shift tells the reader her stance on the topic. She believes the government should not legalized the “low-tar” labeling on cigarettes. She does not understand why congress would want to get rid of the traditional rule that advertising has to tell the truth. This presents a complex question. Should cigarette companies be able to legally trick the consumers into thinking that certain tobacco products are better for you than others, knowing that there is no significant different. She despises the fact that big tobacco companies are basically protected from consumer lawsuits by the government.