Big Tobacco is having a field day in North Dakota, racking up one success after another. And we just roll over swallowing Big Tobacco's sound bites.

First, the Legislature defeated the bill to protect bar and truck stop workers from toxic cigarette fumes; then, it defeated the bill to ban smoking in cars with youth passengers under the age of 16, the bill Williston children wanted to protect themselves and other children from smoking fumes; and even the University of Mary faculty-student senate fell off the leadership truck voting against a tobacco-free campus.

Not to be outdone, elected officials on the state Board of Higher Education defeated a move to prohibit smoking and use of chewing tobacco at all North Dakota college campuses. Board member Grant Shaft of Grand Forks said some people believe there are too many health mandates. Health mandates like safe drinking water, sewers, immunizations, TB and rabies control?

I hope none of the "some people" are running our communities. Now the arrow points to red and there is a danger that the Legislature may try to overturn or dismantle in some way Measure 3 - the measure to fund tobacco control programs and approved by North Dakota voters.

Hey Big Tobacco, you're doing a heck of a job.

(The writer is former chief of the California Tobacco Control Program. - Editor)