February 6, 2012   The Smoking Deaths billboard isn’t famous. It’s not the Hollywood sign or Rodeo Drive. Tourists don’t come to town clamoring to see Disneyland, Grauman’s Chinese Theatre and a billboard that counts up annual smoking deaths. But if you live in West L.A. anywhere near the 405, you know the sign. You’ve seen it looming over Santa Monica Boulevard, quietly toting up the number of Americans who’ve kicked the bucket after years of sucking on cancer sticks. The Smoking Deaths billboard is black, with big white letters that say “Smoking Deaths This Year.” Underneath is a digital readout with a number that increases by one every minute or so. I usually pass it on my way to the gym or the self-serve frozen yogurt place. If there are 250,000 smoking deaths when I drive by, there might be 250,050 when I drive back.

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