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McCook Gazette

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Editorial

New scary photos don't tackle root causes of smoking

Tuesday, June 21, 2011
McCook Daily Gazette

There's a new horror show coming to a convenience store checkout counter near you.

The FDA released a new package of scary photos, such as a man exhaling smoke through a tracheotomy, a body with stitches from open-heart surgery, rotting teeth and lesions, which must be used to cover at least 50 percent of the front and pack of cigarette packages by October 2012.

The FDA also requires that the disturbing photos take up at least 20 percent of every cigarette advertisement.

Officials note with alarm that a decline in the teen smoking rate stopped in 2005, and by 2009, 19.5 percent of American teens said they smoked regulary.

Targeting teens is important. According to the American Lung Association, among adults who smoke, 68 percent began before the age of 18, and 85 percent started when they were under 21.

Graphic photos of the health dangers from smoking seem like a good idea, but how effective will they really be in influencing a generation weaned on all manner of horror movies, and whose members think they will live forever?

A more effective tool seems to raising the prices, said Harold D. Holder of the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, who said charging more for smokes was much more effective than using scare tactics.

They've got the message in New York City, where you can plunk down $15 for a pack of smokes.

But that opens an opportunity for black- and gray-market entrepreneurs -- single "loosies" are popular among teen smokers in those areas.

So what's the real answer?

Experts cite four reasons teens start smoking:

1. It was the cool thing to do.

2. It symbolized adulthood.

3. Peer pressure.

4. Their role models smoked.

Until we deal with the root causes -- and we don't see any immediate answers -- the problem is likely to continue.

Comments
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  • A thought: If smoking is a symbol of adulthood, then make smoking illegal for anyone over the age of eighteen, with no restriction on children eighteen or under. Kids hate doing legal, and seek out that which they ain't not supposed to do, so get them past the age that so many start, and hardly a soul will start, because they would be breaking the law, and their adult minds would rebel from breaking the law, at least to some extent.,,,,maybe,,,,possibly,,,,Nah!!

    Like I said,,,Just a thought.

    -- Posted by Navyblue on Wed, Jun 22, 2011, at 4:48 PM

  • I recognize the dangers of smoking. I also recognize the cost that it can lead to with health care down the road. However, I am opposed to our government imposing something like this on a particular company. Why don't we have pictures of fat people on McDonald's fries? Why don't we have pictures of rotten teeth on Dr. Pepper cans? We should likely start putting a picture of a torn and mangled body on every car visor to remind people to wear their seat belts. I could keep going.

    -- Posted by speak-e-z on Wed, Jun 22, 2011, at 10:45 PM

  • This is the epitome of irony. The U.S. government heavily subsidizes the tobacco industry and refuses to do the obvious, clinically supported thing: Outlaw tobacco. We know tobacco kills and has no function remotely connected with any positive contribution to society. Putting warnings or graphic displays of health damage on the product package is literally saying, "Here is what will happen to you if you use this product. The Federal Government helps supply you with this product!"

    -- Posted by LC on Thu, Jun 23, 2011, at 12:50 PM

  • There are other sides to what you are saying, LC. Tobacco is a HUGE business. It is the scapegoat for a vast amount of taxation. Moreover, it is a huge employer. I am not arguing FOR the use of tobacco here, but there is more to it than outlawing it. Feel free to give me more of your thoughts on what I am saying. I won't be offended in any way. Think of what it would do to our precious "economy" if all of the excise and road and whatever whatever taxes weren't collected off of the sale of a pack of cigarettes.

    -- Posted by speak-e-z on Thu, Jun 23, 2011, at 1:44 PM
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