Philip Morris's opposition to the use of genetically modified tobacco in cigarettes ("Tobacco Fracas in Argentina," page B1, March 7) raises an interesting issue. It appears that Philip Morris's primary concern is that consumers' irrational fear of genetically modified products will supersede most smokers' irrational tolerance of the proven health risks of smoking.
How ironic would it be if people quit smoking not because of the known dangers of smoking, but because of the irrational fear of a technology that is well-tested and safe when applied to other products. It isn't the biotechnology that makes cigarettes dangerous, it's the tobacco.