Poll: Dying for a smoke?

[Simalacrum]

i think 'shock' tactics can be useful, but i don't really like them... things like "smoking can be hazardous to you and others around you" sort of warnings on tabbaco packets (tis now deh law in England! ) are fine...
but TV adverts and such that really give people a fright... i do admit, they really do work, and it isn't the governments job to make people comfortable about safety, its their job to make people AWARE abotu safety... but i don't think its fair for people who are careful about such things...

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

TBF, the Government have also started showing TV adverts based on "You wouldn't start your night like this, so don't end it like this." for alcohol, but it's based on 'Drinking Responsibly'.

And in a lovely piece of hypocrisy, one of the few places you can still get drunk and smoke is....The House of Commons bar.

Know what always makes me want to have a ciggie? Those damn anti-smoking adverts; especially when I'm cold turkey.

(And yes, at times I have used envelopes and dog-ends when the addiction hit rock bottom)

 

[Jamash]

So are they also going to put pictures like this on bottles of wine & cans of beer?

Spoiler

Or how about images like this on bags of sugar & sweets?

Spoiler

Lots of people lose feet from diabetes so they obviously aren't getting the message that sugar is bad for them.

I know my points are a bit extreme, but so are the shock tactics the government uses. I think it does make a mockery of age certificates, it's like saying that fictional gore is wrong for kids but real life gore is ok.

Are they going to start showing Faces of Death & Ogrish videos at schools to teach children about the horrors or war? If there's a continual rise in teenage knife attacks will the government start showing children that video of the Russian soldier in Afghanistan getting his throat cut out?

I think sensationalism of diseases is a bad thing, it's not that people don't know tobacco is bad for you, it's the fact that you can buy it practically every shop, newsagent, supermarket etc which is the real problem.

On a lighter note, does anyone else see the resemblance to Yahtzee (minus the tumour) in that government shock photo?

 

[gibboss28]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uF0Sd-hjTp8

the bit where he goes on the health warnings on packets sums up my thoughts on it.

 

[Anarchemitis]

Honestly... If they want to do this, then they need to provide images of mortally obese people on every McDonald's wrapper, etc.

QFT, QED.

 

[Shirahime]

which I've dragged back down to about 10 Marlboro Reds a day.

I'm 100% certain that any regular smoker knows all of these risks, but we're bombarded with "U R KILLIN' US ALL" every day...and that drives up the stress...which makes us smoke.

Another fellow Reds smoker.

Passive smoking in my opinion is just plain stupid. I mean I'm pretty considerate when it comes to smoking around people who dislike it, but then you get these idiots that go sit outside in smoking areas and complain about it. Seriously we get chucked outside then on a nice day when non-smokers are outside they whinge. Personally I think they'd need to take great big bloody lung bucketfulls to even get a bit hoarse.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

I personally had a fondness for "Death Cigarettes" which stated on the packet that using them in the manner it was intended for WOULD kill you. (And had a nifty black and silver skull package) but it would donate 5% of the profits to finding a cure for cancer.

Unfortunately our dear Government banned their import and the company folded.

The real problem is that standing beside a main road for an hour or cooking on a charcoal barbeque will do almost exactly the same level of lung damage as twenty Marlboro red.

 

[Bored Tomatoe]

God damn that pisses me off, I have never smoked, and do not plan on smoking, but this is just stupid as hell. My dad has smoked the entire time I have been around on this earth and he goes out of his way to make sure other people don't have to inhale his smoke..Honestly the smell doesn't bother me.....but I am sick of activists trying to impose their will on everyone. For further information please watch the "Butt Out" episode of South Park.

 

[DannyDamage]

......For further information please watch the "Butt Out" episode of South Park.

Sing song anyone?

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=JrwE3sdlQ8k

"And if I get cancer when I'm 80 I don't care, who the hell wants to be 90 anyway!"

 

[rbnttn]

I don't care if you smoke as long as you don't do it near me. I will never smoke because it kills you ,slowly and painfully as delightfully shown by the picture. Three cheers for gore everyone, if someone smoke near me I walk away because it makes me cough. So I bet smoking myself would make me cough more.

That image was sickning. *shudder*

 

[OverlordSteve]

I've never understood why people start smoking in the first place, care to explain?

 

[Bored Tomatoe]

I've never understood why people start smoking in the first place, care to explain?

Peer pressure and stress are the two usual causes of taking up smoking.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

I don't care if you smoke as long as you don't do it near me. I will never smoke because it kills you ,slowly and painfully as delightfully shown by the picture. Three cheers for gore everyone, if someone smoke near me I walk away because it makes me cough. So I bet smoking myself would make me cough more.

That image was sickning. *shudder*

Funny, I said the same thing as a teenager. Whilst I would HEAVILY discourage anyone from starting smoking, it's always 'just one...'

Interesting stats though : 60% against it, 40% for it; and the non-smokers are the one's making that leeway.

 

[DannyDamage]

I've never understood why people start smoking in the first place, care to explain?

Because I enjoy the occasional cig. Just like other people are entitled to enjoy alcohol, coffee, biscuits, burgers, sky diving, speed racing or whatever you want you to enjoy yourself.

 

[huntedannoyed]

They have been including these pictures on packs of cigs in Europe for several years now. It's funny that they are comming here to America because we usually disagree with everything they do. I dont care if they put an aborted fetus on the front of the package that screams when you open the lid, I will still smoke.

 

[SteinFaust]

meh, i smoked a few times, and i don't really see the appeal of it. and those were just casual, not caused by stress or anything like that.

 

[DannyDamage]

I dont care if they put an aborted fetus on the front of the package that screams when you open the lid, I will still smoke.

Fetus in your pocket?

I laughed pretty hard at that comment. I'd be the annoying git that would sit with the packet and open and close it constantly around folk that think "we deserve it" or something.

 

[SteinFaust]

and btw, this is the age of Photoshoop (NO it's not a typo)-- i don't care about any printed or digital images. you want an ad campaign?? have that person and people like him stand outside cig shops.

 

[Totallyfolked]

The real problem is that standing beside a main road for an hour or cooking on a charcoal barbeque will do almost exactly the same level of lung damage as twenty Marlboro red.

One thing that amused me when the smoking ban came in was the level of air pollution is so bad where I live that it's actually healthier to be in a smokey pub than be outside.

I've also found a good way to get rid of the whole smelling of death thing, black cherry pipe tobacco. You still get your nicotine fix but it tastes and smells a lot better. I am on a mission to bring back pipe smoking, it's cheaper, tastier and a lot more fun. There is an artform to packing it properly and keeping it alight that you don't really get with straights or rollies.

 

[SteinFaust]

I've also found a good way to get rid of the whole smelling of death thing, black cherry pipe tobacco. You still get your nicotine fix but it tastes and smells a lot better. I am on a mission to bring back pipe smoking, it's cheaper, tastier and a lot more fun. There is an artform to packing it properly and keeping it alight that you don't really get with straights or rollies.

hmm, sounds tasty. do you have to go to a specialty store for that?