With the current upheaval of our stock market and what seems like new reports of government take-overs each day, it came as no surprise when I read that American International Group, Inc. (AIG) will be removed from the Dow Jones 30 company index because of its low stock price. Here’s the surprise: Kraft Foods Inc. will be taking its place. It’s the first time in 23 years a pure food company will have that spot.

It’s interesting to note that up until March 2007 Kraft Foods Inc. was not a “pure” food company. With every box of Mac & Cheese and package of Oreos you purchased before March ‘07, you were contributing to Altria Group, the proud parent of Phillip Morris. However, in January 2007, Altria decided they didn’t need to be bothered with Kraft anymore. Experts deemed it to be a smart decision on Altria’s part. "They don’t need the distraction of restructuring a packaged food company," said Raymond Mathis, an analyst for Standard & Poor's Equity Research.

It seemed as though Kraft was Altria’s unwanted baggage. So how did the food company survive without Big Tobacco keeping it stable? Apparently, quite successfully.

It’s important to recognize that while the large tobacco companies are powerful, there are victories won everyday by those not connected to tobacco money. Kraft Foods, Inc. won its own victory by persevering through a break-up with Altria.  They separated themselves from a powerful organization that promotes a product that hooks & eventually kills more than 440,000 Americans each year.

I choose to be on the team at Free & Clear, Inc. striving to win my victory by helping people overcome their addiction to tobacco.

Everyday there are people who call joining our team of participants in making the difficult decision to quit tobacco. They are winning the greatest victory of all against the tobacco companies and they each gain the same prize: their lives.

Whose team do you choose to be on?