Saddle Sore

Mass murderer Ross R. Millhiser, who as an executive at Phillip Morris employed the Marlboro Man to encourage thousands to curtail their life expectancies, died Saturday at the age of 83. When he became the brand manager for Marlboro in 1954, it was viewed as a woman's brand, but by 1966, it was the second-leading seller in the United States, and by 1975 it was No. 1. In 1978, he countered growing criticism of the health costs of smoking in an op-ed piece that argued smoking was good for mental health because it provided "a certain sense of personal satisfaction, relaxation and even pleasure." One can hope that his many victims arranged an appropriate welcome.