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The Study Committee on Tobacco was formed by the NC Council of Churches in response to a dilemma faced by the citizens of NC. On the one hand, mounting medical evidence links the use of tobacco with numerous health problems. On the other hand, the long established tobacco economy is threatened.
The tendency in NC has been to avoid or ignore the dilemma. Farmers, agribusiness people, manufacturers and distributors of tobacco products, as well as state officials, have found it difficult to deal directly with he crisis precipitated by the increasing pressure of negative health data.
The Christian churches of NC include in their constituencies persons facing this difficult dilemma. The Committee seeks to facilitate forthright and open discussion on all levels so that this dilemma may be carefully addressed.
The purpose of this paper is to provide a basis of discussion for churches and other groups. The paper does not make a pronouncement or draw final conclusions except where moral precepts are clear. This paper was first distributed in 1984 by the NC Council of Churches.
