Do these new anti-smoking ads really piss you off?

The BBQ Pit
1

I say yes, they piss me off. They are so annoying. An I really wonder if there is ANYBODY out there that actually thinks they’re cool. They show people exploding while bun-gee jumping from drinking sploo. A girl exploding while putting on makeup. Then they say something like "tobacco kills one out of three people, THE TRUTH. This shit is going over the line. In this country people have a freedom to smoke. I am a smoker (not a heavy one) and when I go out in public it seems the only place you can smoke is outside with all this nonsmoking areas, can’t smoke on the train, plain, a bunch of resturants and this and that. I used to live in California and so did my work partner. He told me of a smoke free city in Cali, where you can’t smoke at bars or even outside. If you do so, you will get a ticket. This is pretty pathetic. So what’s next. Pretty soon it will be illegal to smoke everywhere if this keeps going on. Meanwhile, cigarette prices go higher and punish us smokers. Do you know that roughly 75% of what you pay for cigarettes is tax. All this crap is maybe a good incentive to quit(which I plan to do) but I really believe that you should be able to smoke if you want to and nobody should harass you.

-MikE

2

For a quick, cynical political answer, read Thank You For Smoking by Christopher Buckley.

For a deceptively light but ruthless dissection, read Bellewether by Connie Willis.

Of the two, Willis explains the insanity better. Not just of smoking, but of the underlying causes of herd thinking and Officially Designated Evils.

IMO, you either have to laugh at the stupidity or climb the local water tower with an assualt rifle. My personal favorite: a chick with in an parked car, car running, with a baby–no car seat–when I pulled alongside. I turned off the car, stubbed out the cigarette and The Chick asked me to PLEASE put out that cigarette “because it might harm her baby”. Right.

Forbid smoking in a parking lot?!! Breathe exhaust from your SUV, yuppie; it goes well with your bottled water.

I’m not espousing “smokers’ rights”, etc. I just view Life Style Fascists with a dim eye. Hell, the stench etc. of passive smoking was established years ago; heard of the old cliche “the smoking jacket”? But now we have people policing salad bars (“I’m not paying tax dollars for their clogged arteries!”), work comp claims because others use scented soap (so much for aromatherapy!) or the disinfectants used on the public toilets may have left some arcane possible symptom off the MSDA list.

Talk about ignorance and genuine risks. I just love watching some yuppie twit in a honkin’ SUV, sporting a MADD bumper sticker and talking on a cell phone.

Veb

3

Hmmm…I’m not sure what your point is here. So, the ad is annoying? So what do you want done about it? Do you think it is lying about smoking? What?

You still have the freedom to smoke, just not everywhere. Do you seriously expect to be able to smoke in an enclosed area, like a train or a plane? Because let me tell you, that was a miserable thing for us non-smokers. I am most happy that they passed the law making smoking on planes and trains (especially planes) illegal.

And you are complaining about taxes on cigarettes? Well, I am sure the laws are slanted, no argument there. However, pardon me if I can’t muster up a whole lot of sympathy. It isn’t like they are taxing baby’s milk, or essential medicine. And it isn’t like if you don’t buy the damned overpriced cigarettes, you’ll just cave in. I think there are more important things to complain about, rather than griping because it’s more expensive to indulge your vice.

4

I read that there are some places where it’s also illegal to smoke in your house when a repairman is there.

I definately don’t agree with non-smoking bars. Bars are * supposed * to be smoke-filled dens of iniquity and bad habits.

As a smoker (trying to quit, now, though) I was trapped on a 13 hour flight from Paris a couple of months ago. We sat on the runway for two hours before taking off. It was hell. Screaming little deamons behind me kicking my seat, running up and down the aisles, pulling my hair and laughing. I’ve never wanted a cigarette so badly in my life. Non-smoking planes? I’d a no-children flight, please. Even when I was a non-smoker, unruly children disturbed me more than second hand smoke.

The commercials are sort of annoying. I don’t think that they’re very effective, either. They have that air of “trying too hard,” just the same as the anti-pot commercials. That one with the father “rapping” to his son about not smoking marijuana was the worst commercial I have ever seen, bar none. Kids mock them-- they don’t usually pay much attention to things they ridicule.

I had a woman come over to my table once in a resturant and ask me to put out my cigarette because her children were sitting at the next table. “This is the smoking section,” I pointed out. “Yes, I know,” she said. “Non-smoking was full, and we didn’t want to wait for a table.” Well, that’s not my fault, now is it?

No, but is it fair to tax a vice heavily simply because it’s an unpopular one? I can’t imagine the uproar if beer and was suddenly taxed 75%.

5

I personally believe that just as you have a right to smoke that I have a right not to smoke. I am, as you’ve probably noticed, a non-smoker and I hold nothing against people who smoke. The fact of the matter is however that when I’m in a restaurant I don’t want to breathe other people’s smoke. I’m all for smoking sections in planes and restaurants and I don’t think it’s entirely fair to either party.

Now what can be done about it?

Absolutely nothing. Unless we count sealing smokers in a special booth in restaurants, on airplanes, etc I don’t see that there is much of anything to be done.

The government will continue to issue commercials against smoking, smokers will continue to smoke, non-smokers will continue to cough when inhaling smoke, nothing will change.

Therefore I must say that in fairness to everyone, smoke where you want but be courteous enough to put it out if someone around you truly has a problem with it. Problem solved right?

Nope.

How many of you would put your freshly lit cigarette out for some stranger you don’t know? How many of you would ask someone to put out their cigarette? I wouldn’t feel right in either situation.

I’m not saying there aren’t exceptions. In fact, I’m sure that there are plenty of exceptions, maybe more exceptions then norms in this case. But wouldn’t that just get plain annoying after a while? Always being asked by the non-smoking populace to extinguish your habit? I bite my nails and I get annoyed when someone tells me to stop. They’re my nails for god’s sake and I’ll bite them if I please.

What am I really saying?

We’ll never make everyone happy ever.

We’ll always having annoying commercials (they even annoy me and I don’t smoke), we’ll always have “sections” for smokers and non-smokers, we’ll always have people telling us what to do.

It’s that kind of world and I wouldn’t have it any other way. It keeps things interesting.

So next time that commercial comes on just laugh the fuck out of it, light up your cigarette and go outside to piss off the non-smokers. I won’t care, I’ll laugh with you. God bless the american way.

6

Even more insidious is the one with the teens driving by a tobacco executive’s house late at night and harranguing him (him?) on a loudspeaker. Let’s please not give people more ideas that it is okay to stalk and harass others (including innocent neighbors) in the name of (fake) free speech or “important causes.”

Bucky

7

Quick note:

The reason taxes are so high on cigs is so the state can attempt to recoup the cost of hospitalization and treatment of lung cancer paients who don’t have medical insurance, or whose insurance won’t cover the treatments.

As a non-smokeer, you best believe I’m in favor of high taxes on cigs. You can choose to smoke. But when you die from it, it better not be on MY dime.

8

A “non smoking section” in a plane is a joke. The air is recycled anyway, you can smell the damn stuff no matter where you are on the plane. I am SO glad that smoking on planes and trains are no longer allowed.

It’s just the breaks if you are uncomfortable on a long flight. No one made you book the flight, no one made you take up the habit. Your choice. Those of us who chose not to smoke do not want to smell your smoke in an enclosed area. That’s over the top. For one thing, many people get ill by smelling smoke or are allergic to smoke.

A non-smoking section in a restaurant isn’t quite as bad…you’ll be there for maybe an hour, presumably there are windows, people opening the door, a little air getting in. While I hate being placed near the smoking area (it’s sort of useless - you can still smell it) I would never dream of telling a smoker who is smoking in a smoking area to stop. Same if I were seated in the smoking area as well (which is unlikley.)

If you wanna gripe about tobacco taxes, go ahead. But don’t expect a lot of sympathy from me. “Boo hoo hoo. My smelly cigarettes are too expensive. What will I do?” Uh, like quit? Oh, never mind. Do whatever you want. Just don’t whine to me.

9

I don’t really watch commercials, so I’ve never seen these particular ones. From what’s been described here, I’d have to say they’re probably a bit over the top.

But, just as you have the right to smoke, they have the right to air stupid commercials trying to convince you not to. You don’t have to pay heed to them, you know!

And in spite of the fact that you may consider it a blatant advertisement to get you to quit, since you said…

when you’re ready, come visit The Great Straight Dope SMOKE-OUT topic. We’ll be happy to encourage, cajole, support and even nag the shit out of you to help you in your effort.

10

Yosemite, you’re right about airplanes: if one person smokes, everyone smokes. If one person has a cold, everyone gets the cold. Airplanes are not healthy places to breathe. That’s why I’m glad they have 100% nonsmoking flights on some airlines now.

Do anti-smoking ads bug me? Yeah, because I don’t think they’re the least bit effective. I am also bugged by cigarette ads: “Smoke these and you’ll be beautiful and sexy and rich and popular!” Unfortunately, these DO work on easily-influenced kids . . .

11

YOSIMITEBABE said:

Just curious…it’s illegal to smoke on trains now? Are we talking about the just the general seating area or the whole train? Last time I was on AMTRAK you could smoke in the lounge car. It was probably six years ago but the ban on planes was already in effect so I didn’t see trains as an issue because it is in a different car.

Kind of a hijack but as one trying to quit I wanted clarification.

Why can’t there be smoking and non-smoking flights?

The ads are annoying, but that is the goal. We tend to remember things that annoy us.

Alright, smoke em’ if you got em’!

12

This whole debate is a lot of baloney.

If a person smokes, that person will die of cancer, heart disease, etc, that may or may not be smoking-related.

If a person doesn’t smoke, that person will die of cancer, heart disease, etc that is not smoking-related.

Saying that “smoking kills” implies that the people would not otherwise die.

And no one has shown that the cumulative (taxpayer) costs of treating smoking-related disease is greater than the costs that person would incur by living another 10-20 years, eventually ending up dying of some other costly disease anyway.

13

Sledman: I took the Amtrak a couple of weeks ago, and from what I can tell, yep, it is now fully non-smoking. Although I didn’t visit every car, it appeared to be a train-wide thing.

14

Yep, no smokin’ on Amtrak. A few years ago they went non-smoking. They could at least have one car for smoking. But no us smokers have to feel like prisoners.

Yeah, I agree. (guess I made a boo boo)

Blame it all on tobacco… A lot of the recent increase in prices is due to all these stupid lawsuits against the tobacco companies, and the big settlements with Unca Sam.

You sound like my mom. YosemiteBabe (btw, I bet I can outhike/outclimb you in Yosemite anyday), how can you be a babe and not be empathetic? huh?

15

Yes they piss me off.

How on EARTH is this the truth?

Piling dead bodies to show how it kills? My god, the stench from those rotting corpses, would bring more disease than second hand smoke would!

I know another ‘vice’ that kills a hell of alot of people. DRIVING.

How many of the fools out there don’t think about that? Honestly, I can out drive 95% of the people out on the road. This is sad. This is a vice as well. We’re sucking up valuble resources, and poluting, and we’re killing others. Lets hike up the prices on vehicles 75%. Make it really hard to drive. For fun, we’ll just make driver, and CRAPPY driver lanes.

Sure why not? Then they’ll put up new commercials. Drive where you belong. The crappy driver lanes will be caged in with resistant concrete, and have speed limits of 15 mph, and have rails for those who can’t manage to drive.

"You don’t pay near enough attention when you drive. You have lost skills since you learned to drive. When you speed you put man lives in danger. It kills more than blah blah blah blah "

           http://www.thedrivingtruth.com

How many vices can kill you in less than a second like that. I’ve never seen a non-smoker DIE in a tenth of a second, from a little second hand smoke. I’ve never seen one impaled, decapitated, or BLEEDING what so ever from smoke.

I firmly beleive you’ve got the rights to be smoke free. To have a smoke free atmosphere. Is it right when you’re infriging on others rights? I’m not real sure.

As for ‘smelly cigarettes’? My god, we’re going to have a new tax on crappy smelling perfumes and people who’s ASSES smell really bad.

Restaruants of the future will have ‘gawdy perfume’ ‘non-smoking’ ‘people who’s asses smell bad’ and ‘smoking’ all sealed into little cubes, with a vacuum around them.

Gosh give it up!! I swear, don’t even talk to someone is smoking, don’t even bother to give them a dirty look.

Do smokers look at non-smokers with hatred? Gosh I’ve never seen it. I’ve seen some awefully dirty looks come from those who are ‘holier than thou’ with the no smoking jihad.

I’m tired and I’m pissed off now. So sorry for the long rant. If you wanna peice, this is something I have an opinion about.

Think about that!

16

I just had to drop in for a bit and find it refreshing to find other smokers pissed off. (So, where were you cowards as I’ve been getting my ass chewed up in ‘You Nonsmokers Piss Me Off’) :smiley: :).

I’ll leave now, 'else the ravening herd over there might come over here and nitpick you all to death.

17

Actually, the post is named You Nonsmokers Leave Me The Heck Alone – sorry. Temporary brain lock.

A point here, these Truth advertisements showing smarmy teens harassing tobacco executives – isn’t that promoting the violation of smokers civil rights and the rights of the executives?

18

I’ll bet you can outclimb and outhike me. So…your point is?

I am not going to ever glare at a smoker in a smoking section, or treat a smoker like a leper. It’s their choice to smoke, none of my business.

But dammit, don’t start to whine and give me the “victim” line. That I have no sympathy for. “Boo hoo hoo. I knowingly, voluntarily started an addictive habit, and now can’t indulge this habit anywhere I’d like anymore. Boo hoo hoo. My smelly addictive habit is expensive. Boo hoo hoo. There are some annoying ads on TV about my smelly addictive habit. What will I do? Will I quit? See how foolish I was to start? Maybe I’ll think about that…but first, let me whine about it a whole lot!”

*Puleeeze.[/p]

19

Nothing personal. I’m pretty tired of this. You’re annoyed with people whining because, in this free world, they can’t do what they want. Its not illegal to smoke, (unless of course you’re underage) so why do we force these people to do things they don’t want to?

I really don’t like looking at fat people, and I don’t really feel comfortable with malformed or handicapped people. Parapalegics if you will (sp). Can I get all restaruants with seperate areas where I don’t have to look at these people or suffer the bad effects they spread? I’d love it. I’d be the same bastard you’re being. Last I checked it was their fault for being fat. Being disabled, heck the LEAST they could do is kill themselves to get them off the planet.

Yes, those fat people can suffer until they stop being fat. boo hoo hoo. They better not give me a line about how its not theif fault. They aren’t victims of anything are they. Hahaha, See how foolish I was to start eating LOTS of food? Hahaha

Nevermind I’m going to take my smelly habit… farting… and leave for now.

20

Your trying to get me started aren’t you honey.