Her roadside billboards—for the well-meaning healthy living campaign Let's Do This King County—taunt me daily. I'd like to be able to answer her question, but I don't know where to start. But I'll try.

Dear kid: Most stores that are "full of tobacco" are either convenience stores or smoke shops. Why are your parents taking you to so many convenience stores and smoke shops? Anyway, if these places were to suddenly start filling their shelves with nothing but fruit, customers would be confused AND the fruit would very quickly start to rot. (Storing packaged tobacco products is much easier than storing fresh fruit, which involves refrigeration/rotation.) Ask your parents to explain "supply and demand." Then ask them to take you to a "grocery store."

Next question: Why do we fill our banks with money instead of filling them with love?