I got the book (Plagues and Peoples), and I found other interesting
sources as well. To quote McGinnis, Feoge "Actual Causes of Death in
the United States." Journal of the American Medical Association 270
(18):2207-2212
U. S. 1990 data:
Tobacco deaths: 400,000
Diet/ low activity pattern deaths 300,000
Alcohol deaths: 100,000
Firearm deaths: 35,000
Sexual behavior deaths: 30,000
Motor vehicle deaths: 25,000
Illicit drug deaths: 20,000
In other words, tobacco kills 1300% more than AIDS. A promising start.
Still, what I'd really like to see compared to these are medical
mistake and lawful execution death figures... deaths caused by human
"best intentions." Let's see what was really more lethal in history,
the law or cholera. :-)
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