# Is anyone else sick of anti-tobacco PSAs 'cause they think we're morons? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 23, 2004, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-else-sick-of-anti-tobacco-psas-cause-they-think-were-morons/265704 "2004-09-23T16:33:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![lezlers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/258eb7/32.png) [@lezlers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lezlers)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-else-sick-of-anti-tobacco-psas-cause-they-think-were-morons/265704/21 "2004-09-24T04:49:49Z")
> [@gatopescado](#): > > Admit it. You are a smoker. And as such, you are a dirty, disgusting person. You need to be reminded of that fact as nausium. Just like I need to be remined I’m a drunk. > > Maybe someday we will both wise up. Hopefully before its too late. I seriously hope this is a whoosh, otherwise, damn. Just…_damn_. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-else-sick-of-anti-tobacco-psas-cause-they-think-were-morons/265704/22 "2004-09-24T07:23:04Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > “You know, second-hand smoke can kill.” > > “Not reliably.” Oh, wow. I’m using that from now on when I’m told that. In another thread I mentioned I had some t-shirts made up that say: “WARNING! Lecturing me on the dangers of smoking may be hazardous to your health.” ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-else-sick-of-anti-tobacco-psas-cause-they-think-were-morons/265704/23 "2004-09-24T08:26:08Z")
"Is anyone else sick of anti-tobacco PSAs 'cause they think we’re morons? " Well, if you ARE a smoker, and are deliberately damaging yourself just to get your drug fix; then yes, indeed they are likely right. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 8:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-else-sick-of-anti-tobacco-psas-cause-they-think-were-morons/265704/24 "2004-09-24T08:36:53Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > "Is anyone else sick of anti-tobacco PSAs 'cause they think we’re morons? " > > Well, if you ARE a smoker, and are deliberately damaging yourself just to get your drug fix; then yes, indeed they are likely right. :rolleyes: If you ARE a driver, and knowingly drive your car and die in an accident, well what did you expect? Hey, **Dr** , come over here for a minute so nobody else can hear us. _peers for other eavesdropping Dopers_ OK, I’ll make this quick. See, tobacco is a legal product sold in the US and taxed heavily to help states cover health care costs. Then someone got the idea in their heads that since state budgets were showing deficits, they could increase taxes to pay for children’s health care. Then they realized the extra revenue could be used for anything they saw fit with no real acounting to the public of where the taxes went. After that, they spent millions telling the public nicotine was as bad as cyanide and just as fast acting. In fact, and I’ll find some cites if you want, once North Dakota tried to outright ban tobacco in all forms. Unfortunately The Amer. Cancer Soc., Amer. Lung Assoc., and Amer. Heart Assoc all signed onto an OpEd piece saying outlawing it was wrong. See? It’s all about the money. Not public health. Shhh, try to keep it to yourself. Hey Dopers! We were just talking about football. Carry on. ---
**Author:** ![peedin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peedin/32/14095_2.png) [@peedin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peedin)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-else-sick-of-anti-tobacco-psas-cause-they-think-were-morons/265704/25 "2004-09-24T18:21:27Z")
**dalej42** , why are residents smoking in the common areas? Have they decided they don’t want their condos smelling of smoke but others should have to tolerate it? Or are they exempt from the rules? I just quit 2 weeks ago and I’m still a smoker at heart. I will never ever be a self-righteous ex-smoker. If my sinuses could take it, I’d still puff a pack a day. I live in an apartment building with 4 apartments (2 up and 2 down) and the guy downstairs is a chain smoker. He never opens his windows but leaves his apartment door cracked open so the entire hallway reeks. I mean, grossly reeks of smoke. He’s a nice guy, but a pig of a smoker. Anyway, my response to those maroons who ask “don’t you know it’s bad for you?” was this: “No, I don’t. Perhaps there should be warnings on these things.” ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-else-sick-of-anti-tobacco-psas-cause-they-think-were-morons/265704/26 "2004-09-24T18:47:38Z")
> [@duffer](#): > > Hey, **Dr** , come over here for a minute so nobody else can hear us. _peers for other eavesdropping Dopers_ OK, I’ll make this quick. See, tobacco is a legal product sold in the US and taxed heavily to help states cover health care costs. Then someone got the idea in their heads that since state budgets were showing deficits, they could increase taxes to pay for children’s health care. Then they realized the extra revenue could be used for anything they saw fit with no real acounting to the public of where the taxes went. After that, they spent millions telling the public nicotine was as bad as cyanide and just as fast acting. In fact, and I’ll find some cites if you want, once North Dakota tried to outright ban tobacco in all forms. Unfortunately The Amer. Cancer Soc., Amer. Lung Assoc., and Amer. Heart Assoc all signed onto an OpEd piece saying outlawing it was wrong. See? It’s all about the money. Not public health. Shhh, try to keep it to yourself. > > Hey Dopers! We were just talking about football. Carry on. You make a point. Still- anyone who who subjects himself to a daily dose of poison with nothing good out of it is a moron. Anyone who is addicted to a drug and blames the anti-drug ads for his addiction is a hypocritical moron. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-else-sick-of-anti-tobacco-psas-cause-they-think-were-morons/265704/27 "2004-09-24T19:11:23Z")
> [@peedin](#): > > **dalej42** , why are residents smoking in the common areas? I’m not really sure why people insist on smoking in the common area. I guess it could be if they have a spouse/gf/bf/whatever that lives with them and they don’t like it inside their own unit. Plus, we are not talking a very large area. The hallway inside is narrow, theres a small area by the mailboxes, the laundry room (which had the most complaints) and then a very small area next to the storage units and the outside door. Today…high of 83 low of 60. No rain at all, no reason at all not to go outside. What prompted this ban was people who would sit in the laundry room (near the back door) and chain smoke while they’re waiting for their clothes. That was just rude, IMHO. In summer, it is so hot and muggy inside the laundry room. At winter, it is cold and no one wants to open the windows when it is below freezing. I think most of the residents are like me: We don’t want to run a ratline every time we see someone with a cig. But, don’t be an ass about it. Columbus is voting on a smoke free bar and restaurant ban. I figure once that ban passes and people begin to follow those rules, that will reduce these violations. ---
**Author:** ![lezlers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/258eb7/32.png) [@lezlers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lezlers)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-else-sick-of-anti-tobacco-psas-cause-they-think-were-morons/265704/28 "2004-09-24T20:49:04Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > You make a point. Still- anyone who who subjects himself to a daily dose of poison with nothing good out of it is a moron. Anyone who is addicted to a drug and blames the anti-drug ads for his addiction is a hypocritical moron. :eek: That’s crazy, I haven’t seen _one_ person here blaming anti-drug ads for their addiction… And who says smokers don’t get anything good out of smoking? That’s entirely subjective. I’ve known smokers who just plain _enjoy_ smoking. I know others who enjoy the social aspects of it. Those are benefits, to _them_. They may not be physical benefits, but they’re benefits all the same. People do lots of things that have no objective benefit, because they enjoy doing them. That’s the beauty of having free choice to do as one pleases, so long as it’s legal. Hardly makes one a moron. You’re also failing to consider the whole addiction factor. It’s harder to kick a nicotine addiction than a damn _herion_ addition, for christ sake. There’s a lot of smokers out there who don’t choose to smoke, they smoke because they’re addicted. I’m not saying you should throw them a pity party or anything but calling them “filthy and disgusting human beings” and “morons” is a little harsh, don’t you think? Judge not, and all that. Let me guess, you’re an X smoker. I assume this because the irrationality and level of vitriol you’re displaying typically comes from x-smokers. Which makes it even more ridiculous and assholish. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-else-sick-of-anti-tobacco-psas-cause-they-think-were-morons/265704/29 "2004-09-24T21:08:08Z")
> [@lezlers](#): > > That’s crazy, I haven’t seen _one_ person here blaming anti-drug ads for their addiction… Blaming, no, but… > [@JayElle](#): > > The shock angle doesn’t encourage me to quit, it makes me want to light up another in spite and blow the smoke right at the TV screen > [@RandomLetters](#): > > those Truth PSAs inspire the same irrational desire to start smoking in me as well ---
**Author:** ![lezlers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/258eb7/32.png) [@lezlers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lezlers)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-else-sick-of-anti-tobacco-psas-cause-they-think-were-morons/265704/30 "2004-09-24T21:24:46Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > Blaming, no, but… Oh, come on now. Those quotes were obviously meant to describe how _ineffective_ these PSA’s are. To take those comments as anything else is just silly. ---
**Author:** ![JayElle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4bbf92/32.png) [@JayElle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JayElle)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-else-sick-of-anti-tobacco-psas-cause-they-think-were-morons/265704/31 "2004-09-24T21:29:43Z")
And I do believe I said that I knew it _wasn’t a rational response._ Listen, I know smoking is bad for me. I know that I am the one who chose to take that first drag on that first cigarette. What I don’t understand is how I, as a smoker, came to represent the AntiChrist. Here in East Texas, crystal meth addiction is fast becoming a huge burden on public health. Yet I never see an anti-meth PSA, nor do I see random strangers berating meth heads about their “filthy and disgusting” habit. I, as a legal smoker, am a safe target for crusaders. So yeah, anit-smoking PSAs make me feel a little contrarian, but _I do not and would never blame a commercial for my addiction._ ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2004, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-else-sick-of-anti-tobacco-psas-cause-they-think-were-morons/265704/32 "2004-09-25T00:27:37Z")
“Denial” is not a river in Africa. :wally ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2004, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-else-sick-of-anti-tobacco-psas-cause-they-think-were-morons/265704/33 "2004-09-25T01:13:56Z")
I smoke AND drink. Woohoo! I’m an overachiever! Yippee! Anyway, those ads are idiotic and are full of deliberate misinformation and exaggeration. They sort of remind me of that film classic “Reefer Madness”. But, I can always turn off the TV if I get annoyed enough. On the other hand, I consider it an invasion of “my space”, and an insult (getting too familiar without my permission) when someone tells me to quit smoking because it’s bad for me, or nasty, or whatever. I go out of my way to not inconvenience nonsmokers. So, what I do is none of their business and honestly, I resent it when they presume to tell me. I don’t tell them to stop overeating or eating in a disgusting manner, or eating certain things I consider gross, or picking their noses, or anything else. Is it so unreasonable to expect the same respect? I think I _am_ going to start telling these people point blank to mind their own business, and am not going to politely nod my head and half-agree anymore. ---
**Author:** ![lezlers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/258eb7/32.png) [@lezlers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lezlers)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2004, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-else-sick-of-anti-tobacco-psas-cause-they-think-were-morons/265704/34 "2004-09-25T01:35:37Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > “Denial” is not a river in Africa. :wally Would you care to make an _actual_ argument, or are you just planning on shooting out little insults with nothing whatsoever to back them up? :wally indeed. ---
**Author:** ![ninetypercent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9de0a6/32.png) [@ninetypercent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ninetypercent)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2004, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-else-sick-of-anti-tobacco-psas-cause-they-think-were-morons/265704/35 "2004-09-25T02:18:43Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > “Denial” is not a river in Africa. :wally ever been addicted to tobacco before? no? that’s an easy thing to be proud of. like being white in America. smoking feels good. sometimes REALLY good. it is also addictive in a way that is very hard for a never-smoker to comprehend. i guess that a majority of smokers have attempted to quit numerous times. we know what it’s like to be tobacco-free. it sucks! ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2004, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-else-sick-of-anti-tobacco-psas-cause-they-think-were-morons/265704/36 "2004-09-25T07:50:10Z")
If you know you’re addicted and trying to stop, then you’re NOT in denial. If you’re saying “I can quit anytime” or “Those damn ads are making me smoke even more”- THEN - you’re in denial. :rolleyes: Smoking isn’t rational. Thus, although I agree it is not rational to blame the ads, it seems to be that is exactly what is happening here. :rolleyes: Or to come up with any of a dozen reasons why you still are smoking or haven’t seriously tried quit. And Lezlers- that wasn’t directed at you, and we ARE in the Pit, so little insults- or big fucking insults- are perfectly OK. This _is_ directed at you= :wally 😛 And lezlers- I will point out that every smoker at one time _choose_ to start. ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2004, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-else-sick-of-anti-tobacco-psas-cause-they-think-were-morons/265704/37 "2004-09-25T08:25:06Z")
quoth **Lezlers** > [@](#): > > It’s harder to kick a nicotine addiction than a damn heroin addition, for christ sake Utter rubbish!! I know you will find various sites that state nicotine is more addictive than heroin, try saying that to heroin addicts in the various stages of their habit, from maintenance through to withdrawal. A heroin habit is very much harder for the addict to break, its not even slightly cloes, not even the sama universe, unless you have tried kicking both and have something to compare, I’d suggest you leave this load of bollocks bit of folklore to die. A heroin addict will put drugs before food as a priority, their ill health can be pratly blamed on poor and inadequate nutrition, I dont see that with smokers. A heroin habit has an intensity and depth that cigarette addiction cannot even begin to compare. ---
**Author:** ![lezlers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/258eb7/32.png) [@lezlers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lezlers)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2004, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-else-sick-of-anti-tobacco-psas-cause-they-think-were-morons/265704/38 "2004-09-25T15:41:50Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > If you know you’re addicted and trying to stop, then you’re NOT in denial. If you’re saying “I can quit anytime” or “Those damn ads are making me smoke even more”- THEN - you’re in denial. :rolleyes: Again, no one has seriously blamed the ads for making them smoke more. In fact, one of the people who you could’ve misinterpreted as saying that has come in here and told you that was exactly _not_ what he is saying. Now you’re just putting words in people’s mouths in order to keep your argument alive. Desperate measures. > [@](#): > > Smoking isn’t rational. Thus, although I agree it is not rational to blame the ads, it seems to be that is exactly what is happening here. :rolleyes: Or to come up with any of a dozen reasons why you still are smoking or haven’t seriously tried quit. See above comments and while you’re at it, refer to my comments about _choice_ in my earlier post. If someone doesn’t _want_ to quit, it’s not irrational that they _don’t_. Quite the opposite, actually. > [@](#): > > And Lezlers- that wasn’t directed at you, and we ARE in the Pit, so little insults- or big fucking insults- are perfectly OK. This _is_ directed at you= :wally 😛 And lezlers- I will point out that every smoker at one time _choose_ to start. Oh. I. Am. So. Hurt. By. Your. Witty. Insult. Seriously, how _old_ are you? And no shit every smoker _chose_ to start. Every alcoholic chose to start drinking. Every drug addict chose to get high that first time. Do you have a point? The only point I can get out of that statement is that smokers are to blame for their addiction. Well, _duh_. Has anyone here said otherwise? Methinks you’re trying so damn hard to demonize smokers, your arguments have stopped making sense. ---
**Author:** ![lezlers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/258eb7/32.png) [@lezlers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lezlers)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2004, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-else-sick-of-anti-tobacco-psas-cause-they-think-were-morons/265704/39 "2004-09-25T15:43:12Z")
And **casdave** , give me some sites to dispute this widely circulated claim and I’ll gladly abandon it. Thus far, I’ve heard nothing to the contrary. ---
**Author:** ![ninetypercent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9de0a6/32.png) [@ninetypercent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ninetypercent)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2004, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-else-sick-of-anti-tobacco-psas-cause-they-think-were-morons/265704/40 "2004-09-25T17:21:10Z")
> [@casdave](#): > > quoth **Lezlers** > > Utter rubbish!! > > I know you will find various sites that state nicotine is more addictive than heroin, try saying that to heroin addicts in the various stages of their habit, from maintenance through to withdrawal. > > A heroin habit is very much harder for the addict to break, its not even slightly cloes, not even the sama universe, unless you have tried kicking both and have something to compare, I’d suggest you leave this load of bollocks bit of folklore to die. > > A heroin addict will put drugs before food as a priority, their ill health can be pratly blamed on poor and inadequate nutrition, I dont see that with smokers. > > A heroin habit has an intensity and depth that cigarette addiction cannot even begin to compare. only alcoholics have a worse time during withdrawal than heroin addicts… still, a person who was addicted to tobacco is more likely to relapse. so, the claim that it is “more addictive” is not actually wrong. disingenuous, yes… but not folklore. perhaps many smokers **are** in denial. if they are not aware of the systemic toxicity of tobacco, then I can agree that they are morons. for some, the immediate pleasures are more valuable than a long life. the pursuit of happiness takes many different forms. base instincts(such as survival) can be appealed to without the obvious effort of triggering an emotional response. tobacco is only a big deal for extremists. try again when buying a pack of cigarettes == supporting terrorists. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-else-sick-of-anti-tobacco-psas-cause-they-think-were-morons/265704.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-else-sick-of-anti-tobacco-psas-cause-they-think-were-morons/265704.md?page=3)