Probably 1 out of every 3 mailers I’ve received has been about Prop. E, which would ban flavored tobacco. After all, both sides have a ton of money and have to spend it on something.

The opposition is funded solely by R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., which has given more than $10 million to the cause. Their arguments make me wonder whether they’ve been smoking something.

They argue that it’s Prohibition all over again, that Daly City will become the new hotbed for menthol cigarette sales, and that Prop. E bans some tobacco products “but not others.” So they’d support it if it banned all tobacco products? Somehow, I doubt that.

The Yes on E side has $1.8 million from former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Its ads argue that candy-flavored tobacco products look like regular candy, which is dangerous for kids.

I can think of much better ways to spend $13.6 million in San Francisco. And I can think of dozens of issues I care more about. But I’ll vote for Prop. E because there’s something gratifying about R.J. Reynolds Tobacco seeing more than $10 million go up in smoke.

