Since I don't have comments at the moment, I'll share what my friend Michael Straight sent be about the dave Barry column/cartoon:
But, but...

I don't recall anyone anywhere villifying tobacco growers. They're
always
the innocent victims who have been tragically, unknowingly growing a
deadly crop and must somehow find a new means of supporting themselves
now
that the evil schemes of the tobacco companies have been uncovered and
we
are all shocked (shocked!) to discover that tobacco isn't good for us.

link to relevant site

So giving money to the poor farmers who are innocent civilian
casualties
in the War on Tobacco makes pefect sense by the logic of the whole
anti-tobacco movement. Now if NC had used the money to give tax breaks
to
RJR or something, that might have made a funny cartoon...