Our guests said they understood the concern. They readily acknowledged their products lock people into addiction, cause diseases and even death. But — as if there could be a "but" to counter that massive weight — they're not interested in luring new smokers.

"I think it's important to look at how we market our products," said Bill Phelps, who is senior manager of media affairs with Altria, Philip Morris' parent company in Richmond. "We're not trying to get more people to smoke. We're not trying to get people to smoke more. But if you smoke, we want you to smoke our brands."

And if you want to quit, Phelps said, the company is happy to help with that, too, because, after all, smoking is deadly.

"So, I think that that is an appropriate way for our product to be sold and to be marketed, and that's a part of the reason that I work there."

Gee, what nice guys.

This wasn't the first time Philip Morris sent people to visit us. Each time, I'm left wanting to yell, "Wait! Back up. You manufacture and market what?"

It's hard to cry for these guys. They will sell cigarettes no matter what the cost. It's easy to be honest about how your product kills when people are addicted. And that makes arguments about tax policy and consumer choice give you a coughing fit.

Jay Evensen is editor of the Deseret News edito?rial page. E-mail: even@desnews.com. Visit his blog at www.deseretnews.com/blogs.