Le Mieux Est L'ennemi Du Bien

Abstract The controversy associated with promoting smokeless tobacco as a safer alternative to smoking is a case in which the perfect (i.e., abstaining from tobacco) is the enemy of the good, or at least of the better (i.e., consuming smokeless tobacco). In contrast to the putative objectives of the public health community, the current regulatory regimen deters the innovation, sale, and consumption of more healthful tobacco products. If the desire for perfect information and perfect solutions can be avoided, if consumers can be trusted to understand risk information and its relevance to them, and if the marketplace is allowed to work, consumers will be better off.