To encourage people to quit and keep kids from starting, cigarette packs will now have pictures of the results of a lifetime of smoking. Shock value is the point. But will it work?
It might help with the kids. The adults? Not so much. There have been so much anti-smoking ads. A lot of us have seen that lovely commercial of the lady smoking through her trach hole. And I’m sure doctors, families, and friends have showed them the pictures of diseased lungs.
I don’t think these pictures would make smokers blink. People know what they’re signing up for. It might help kids who are starting, but if they’re bumming cigarettes off their friends, they’re not looking at the sewn up corpse of a former smoker.
The video states that 30 countries have graphic images and that they’ve been effective. I’m skeptical as there are variables that can affect the drop in usage – like price. If the price went up at the same time the graphic images were implemented, how do we know that it wasn’t the cost factor?
Anyway, I am not sure it will help. I can definitely see the argument of government overreach. Adults can make their own decisions about their lives. Since it’s going to happen, I do hope it helps. Maybe it can get some people to actually consider quitting.
Message to Smokers: Shoving that cigarette up your ass is a lot healthier than smoking it. But you knew that. I can only hope you quit. For all the reasons that will now be displayed on your pack of smokes.
Spinny Liberal 