A resounding "amen" to "Nurses Against Tobacco" (Viewpoint, April). We need to be more vocal about how tobacco use infiltrates all areas of our lives, indirectly or directly, as well as every area of medicine-not just oncology, but gerontology, pediatrics, and others. We need to speak with an assertive voice to fight this public health menace.

It's difficult for nursing to affect this public health crisis while so many nurses continue to smoke. While all nurses must form their own opinions about the dangers of smoking and second-hand smoke, schools of nursing could lead the way by educating students in the hazards of smoking. State nurses' associations could lobby to bring back antismoking campaigns in elementary education. To the Viewpoint author: keep speaking out.

I have been boycotting Philip Morris, Miller Brewing Company, and Kraft Foods (all fully or partially owned by the Altria Group) for years because of their profit-driven slaughter.

As a nurse practitioner of many years, I have seen the ravages of smoking in my patients. Worse yet, my mother died of cancers of the breast, lung, and brain. My father is recovering from prostate cancer, and he has emphysema; he is a pharmacist, and it breaks my heart to watch his frail body not be able to keep up with his brilliant mind.

I urge all nurses who smoke to quit. Yes, it's difficult-but not impossible. And for those nurses like me, who are tired of seeing death and destruction from cigarettes, I urge them to become Nightingale Nurses. The Web site, http://www.nightingalesnurses.org, should be operating soon.

Andrea Kerley, RN

Abilene, TX

Julie Schneider, MSEd, RN

Puyallup, WA

Kathleen Mahan, MSN, ARNP

Fort Myers, FL