Tue 1 Aug 2006
1 x Picture = 1k x Words
Posted by anaglyph under Philosophy, Signs, Words
[6] Comments
The most recent effort in Australia to turn people off the idea of smoking has involved a confronting television campaign, and the printing on the cigarette packets of very graphic images of the effects of the habit; pictures of mouth cancers, rotting teeth, limbs with gangrene and so forth. Here’s a link (not for the squeamish).
Up until now, the packets have carried simple printed warnings, but the new ones are starting to appear on the shelf.
Last night a young woman beside me in the supermarket asked for a pack of Benson & Hedges:
“I don’t mean to be difficult, but can I get a packet without the scary photo? You know, just one with the warning that says ‘Smoking Kills You’?”
Some places are selling little laminated cardboard sleeves for cig packets so that people don’t have to look at the photographs…
Ah yes. Evolutionary pressure – ain’t it wonderful!
Well if I can’t see it, it must be safe, right? See, this is why I only huff spray paint cans. I can’t see the fumes so I know I’m not killing any brain cells this way. Oooooo, look, a doggy!
Yes, but you get fluorescent green highlights on your nose.
I was just in Barcelona where everybody smokes. Everywhere. All the time. It was worse than Paris (where I also happen to just have been). I try very hard to remember that I subjected others to my smoke for 17 years & must therefore be tolerant … very very hard … I hope the Holy Cow takes note of my forbearance, marred only by those effective ‘tsk’ noises & that hand flap that us non-smokers do. Having been on the other side of the butt, I know just how much influence that behaviour has on smokers – about as much as the old Smoking Kills campaign & this new You Will Die Horribly one.
I think th warning label oughtta say: “Smoking WILL kill you … but youll look dangd COOL till it does.”
Epitaff: “He / she died fer his / her IMAGE — th stupit fuckr.”