Our cover story likens the effort to reduce sharps injuries to the decades-old public-health campaign against smoking. Here's the premise: It wasn't one thing that made the once-tasteful act of lighting up tobacco taboo (and in some cities illegal), but the unrelenting lobbying and legislating. Let's hope sharps safety doesn't take as long to snuff out as smoking: But as a recovering addict who's now five years tar- and nicotine-free, I can relate to the sticks affliction-cigarette addiction analogy. Raymond C. Sinclair, PhD, a senior scientist with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and lead author of "The Stops Sticks Campaign Wants You" on page 34, draws some interesting parallels.