A few weeks ago, I received a message in my campus email from the anti-smoking group Spark, which describes itself as a group of young adults who wish to spread truth and common sense to the masses.Generally, that is a mission statement I can support with great pride and vigor. It is not always how the sandwich looks, but also how it tastes that makes a difference.
Reading the informative email from the group, I came across nothing about the health risks of tobacco products or anything related to it and .
Rather, the entire focus of the message, and the majority of information on the group's Facebook page, targets the marketing strategy of tobacco companies.
According to Spark's Facebook page "Tobacco companies have their sights on 18 to 24-year-olds and want to lure them in with addictive and new products. We are here to fight back."
This group openly and rigorously attacks tobacco companies for trying to sell to the audience. Logically, their next enemy will be textbook companies for trying to push their horrifying books on unsuspecting school districts. It is things like this that extinguish the little amount of hope I have for humanity.
There are sufficient warning labels on tobacco products warning of the hazards. Most people are fully aware that lung cancer, emphysema, mouth cancer and birth defects can accompany prolonged use of tobacco products.
Since 1985, it has been required that cigarettes, among other tobacco products, have the Surgeon General's warning on them, which informs the buyer of the numerous health risks.
It is true that cigarette advertising used to be everywhere, but due to the now fierce regulations on tobacco advertisement, it is practically nowhere to be seen.
In 1999, all the cigarette billboards were replaced with anti-smoking ones. In 2003, a settlement kept tobacco advertisements out of magazines in school libraries. This all happened when the public perceived that the companies were indoctrinating children as to get them addicted for life, a legitimate fear. However, this fear is no longer feasible.
Spark also cites a Baltimore Sun article calling for tougher tobacco labels. The article argues that cigarettes need nine new textual warnings accompanied by pictures of the warning, which would consume about half of the package.
One of the reasons for the want of a graphic image was fear. These people do not trust people to make their own decisions or to have a psychological fortitude to withstand a weak mask over the health risks. They would rather have people be scared into not smoking than to make an adult decision. If that does not say anything about the character of these kind of groups, I cannot think of something that would.
People know about the risks of smoking. It is not due to a lack of knowledge that so many people are addicted. Perhaps people enjoy smoking. Quite possibly, the calmness a cigarette causes is desirable, the taste of a hookah pipe could be pleasant and a robust cigar could help turn a stressful day into a bearable one.
Spark could care less if a teenager simply wanted to try a cheap gas station cigar, they would blame the tobacco companies for immoral advertising and pull out some over-reactive statement to get another piece of bogus legislation passed.
Anti-smoking groups lobbied for and got a law passed that made it illegal to smoke inside a public building in the state of Wisconsin. That right could not be delegated to bar owners or the management of certain businesses. It seems that compromise is something that has been completely thrown out the window in nearly every facet of legislature.
People need to have strong enough will power to make individual decisions based on their understanding of the circumstance. Do not be coerced by lack of an actual argument or be scared into a decision. Call people out for their transparent lack of reasoning and stand up for individual liberty.
Rather, the entire focus of the message, and the majority of information on the group's Facebook page, targets the marketing strategy of tobacco companies.
According to Spark's Facebook page "Tobacco companies have their sights on 18 to 24-year-olds and want to lure them in with addictive and new products. We are here to fight back."
This group openly and rigorously attacks tobacco companies for trying to sell to the audience. Logically, their next enemy will be textbook companies for trying to push their horrifying books on unsuspecting school districts. It is things like this that extinguish the little amount of hope I have for humanity.
There are sufficient warning labels on tobacco products warning of the hazards. Most people are fully aware that lung cancer, emphysema, mouth cancer and birth defects can accompany prolonged use of tobacco products.
Since 1985, it has been required that cigarettes, among other tobacco products, have the Surgeon General's warning on them, which informs the buyer of the numerous health risks.
It is true that cigarette advertising used to be everywhere, but due to the now fierce regulations on tobacco advertisement, it is practically nowhere to be seen.
In 1999, all the cigarette billboards were replaced with anti-smoking ones. In 2003, a settlement kept tobacco advertisements out of magazines in school libraries. This all happened when the public perceived that the companies were indoctrinating children as to get them addicted for life, a legitimate fear. However, this fear is no longer feasible.
Spark also cites a Baltimore Sun article calling for tougher tobacco labels. The article argues that cigarettes need nine new textual warnings accompanied by pictures of the warning, which would consume about half of the package.
One of the reasons for the want of a graphic image was fear. These people do not trust people to make their own decisions or to have a psychological fortitude to withstand a weak mask over the health risks. They would rather have people be scared into not smoking than to make an adult decision. If that does not say anything about the character of these kind of groups, I cannot think of something that would.
People know about the risks of smoking. It is not due to a lack of knowledge that so many people are addicted. Perhaps people enjoy smoking. Quite possibly, the calmness a cigarette causes is desirable, the taste of a hookah pipe could be pleasant and a robust cigar could help turn a stressful day into a bearable one.
Spark could care less if a teenager simply wanted to try a cheap gas station cigar, they would blame the tobacco companies for immoral advertising and pull out some over-reactive statement to get another piece of bogus legislation passed.
Anti-smoking groups lobbied for and got a law passed that made it illegal to smoke inside a public building in the state of Wisconsin. That right could not be delegated to bar owners or the management of certain businesses. It seems that compromise is something that has been completely thrown out the window in nearly every facet of legislature.
People need to have strong enough will power to make individual decisions based on their understanding of the circumstance. Do not be coerced by lack of an actual argument or be scared into a decision. Call people out for their transparent lack of reasoning and stand up for individual liberty.
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