>> And why is that? Because Americans are puritanical. > I don't think "puritanical" is the right word in this case. Unless you are implying that smoking being

>> And why is that? Because Americans are puritanical. > I don't think "puritanical" is the right word in this case. Unless you are implying that smoking being considered unhealthy is something based on Puritan or other religious values. We Americans are puritanical, and that's in the sense of being able to imagine that our values are universal because they are good and correct, having been arrived at only after a great deal of thought and even spilled blood; and that anyone who disagrees is at best thoughtless or ignorant, but quite possibly crazy or evil.