FDA proposes color graphic warnings for cigarette packs

[RooksGambit]

Name calling, Bill? Really? I've seen many posters permanently exiled from this community for far less than that last paragraph. My name is Sean Michael Howard and I live in Lexington, KY. I've been IICRC certified in Anti-Microbial Remediation, Fire Damage Restoration, Advanced Structural Drying, Carpet, Upholstery and Textile Restoration, Water Loss Mitigation, Smoke and Soot Damage Restoration, and Odor Mitigation. There, I'm no longer anonymous. And if I'm a coward, you're a disingenuous shill. But, I don't really think that (you've shown a great deal of common sense and possibly even compassion, which puts you out of rank with most of the poisonous anti's), and I hope you don't really think people that are willing to speak up about a thing they don't agree with and is largely going to be accepted and promoted by the general populace, cowards. That's kind of the opposite of cowardly. I think they call that brave or perhaps daring, actually. And as to anonymity: You choose to use your real name on the internet. Not everyone does. And no one opted to refrain from using their actual name with this thread in mind.

I'm finished with this conversation. You are obviously not willing to engage in a genuine discussion on the matter, and that's your choice. It's something that you and this community will appear to have to agree to disagree on. I certainly applaud some of your efforts and accomplishments, such as the one's you have espoused in this thread and the thread at the other forum. I'm glad you pursued most of them. This is just not one of those things. Good day and good luck.

 

[DragonflyVaper]

WARNING: Fat-free food is not a safe alternative to getting your fat .... off the couch.
WARNING: Food can be addictive.
WARNING: Driving can be harmful to your children.
WARNING: Food causes fatal obesity.
WARNING: Driving causes accidents.
WARNING: Wearing a seat belt is not a safe alternative to walking.
WARNING: Food causes strokes and heart disease.
WARNING: Obesity during pregnancy can harm your baby.
WARNING: Driving can kill you.
WARNING: Vehicle exhaust causes damage to the environment and fatal lung disease in pedestrians.
WARNING: Quitting driving now greatly reduces serious risks to your health.

WARNING: Switching to a smoke-free alternative tobacco product eliminates the risks of smoking.

You forgot one:
WARNING: Joining the military may cause injury, death and we (gov't) don't give a hoot when you've completed your service.

 

[BCB]

Hi Bill. I'm guess I'm the cyber bully. My name is Cathy Bixler and I live in Clark Fork, Idaho. I'm 61 years old and have been working since I was 10 years old. During that time I have been a carpenter, librarian, surgical assistant, office manager, copy machine repairman, hot air balloon pilot, AIDS educator, blackjack dealer, and many other ....ty little jobs too numerous to name. I am the mother of two. I am a smoker. Started when it was socially acceptable and probably quit this May with an e-cig and Swedish snus. I say "probably" because only time will tell if it's permanent. So far, so good. So I really like vaping and strongly want the choice to remain available to others. But I smoked for 46 years, so much of my identity is tied to smoking. I have been pushed to the edge by anti-smoking cruelty. I guess something happened when I switched to e-cigs. Since I wasn't smoking anymore, I granted myself the RIGHT to no longer put up with it when I see it directed to others. I see these graphic stickers of yet another example of this tyranny. Because you bragged that you were instrumental in their promotion yet were clueless as to why we didn't THANK you for it, I figured I'd ask you a question that would clear it up. For me, your refusal to answer and the comments you made to me are all the answer I need.

For some reason, since this thread began, I keep thinking about slavery. I think of a slave owner, who chose a pretty young slave to be his consort and raped her and had children by her (who were also slaves), yet said "I don't hate the colored people. How could you say that? Look at all I've done for you! I gave you a job in the big house, not in the fields, I let you keep your kids, I give you all our cast-off clothes. Of course I don't hate you. I love you."

 

[sherid]

I applaud you all. Bravo

 

[Zapp and Roger]

I was interested in this thread but I think it has seriously devolved and I am uncomfortable with how people are reacting towards others.

 

[Nixsdaddy]

I don't think the thread had seriously devolved. It boils down to the fact that the graphical ads more than likely will not make a difference. A person does not have his/her arm twisted to do anything. It is a choice. I personally made that choice 20 years ago to smoke my first cig. I knew the risks, I knew the dangers. Did it stop me from smoking my 2nd cig after all the hacking, coughing and almost vomiting on myself? Nope. And I started when I was 19. I was over the legal age to buy them, so it was MY CHOICE.

It was also my choice when I switched to vaping. Not only for my health, but for my pocketbook.

I will only say this to the government agencies and others. Matthew 7:1-5 (ESV) 1 "Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when there is the log in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye."

Disclaimer: These words are as always, my own opinion and should be treated as such. What I write should not be taken in an offensive manner, for it is not something I wished for it to sound like.

 

[D103]

In some ways it is very simple really..... The ends NEVER justify the means.....NEVER. No matter the ends, no matter how noble, pure, beneficial and "Right" you may believe they are, they NEVER justify disception, coercion, abuse, intolerance NOR an abusive "majority rules" - we are a Republic, not a true democracy, for that very reason. To abandon principles, truth, integrity, fairness, humane conduct, acceptance and tolerance, HURTS EVERYONE. It is that simple. To continue to believe and act on the insane and fraudulent notion that it is possible to totally control peoples behavior not only diminishes and offends true humanity, it flies in the face of reason and erodes the very best human qualities of trust, compassion, love and forgiveness. I submit that it is not Tobacco use that is the worldwide "pandemic" but rather the narrow-minded, tunnel-vision "Anti-tobacco" movement, hell bent on obliterating all tobacco use from the face of the earth...despite the collateral damage.

 

[rothenbj]

In some ways it is very simple really..... The ends NEVER justify the means.....NEVER. No matter the ends, no matter how noble, pure, beneficial and "Right" you may believe they are, they NEVER justify disception, coercion, abuse, intolerance NOR an abusive "majority rules" - we are a Republic, not a true democracy, for that very reason. To abandon principles, truth, integrity, fairness, humane conduct, acceptance and tolerance, HURTS EVERYONE. It is that simple. To continue to believe and act on the insane and fraudulent notion that it is possible to totally control peoples behavior not only diminishes and offends true humanity, it flies in the face of reason and erodes the very best human qualities of trust, compassion, love and forgiveness. I submit that it is not Tobacco use that is the worldwide "pandemic" but rather the narrow-minded, tunnel-vision "Anti-tobacco" movement, hell bent on obliterating all tobacco use from the face of the earth...despite the collateral damage.

That is about as accurate as you can get. Let's face it, we all use tobacco for some reason. I'm sure there are BP answers for a lot of them. HOWEVER, is that a better answer. The way I look at it, I was given this life and I've lived it pretty much outside society's direction. Yes, I used to work and kind of followed what I was told to do. As far as my personal life, I let my own reason guide me. Sometimes I was right and sometimes I was wrong, but it was my life. I wouldn't expect anyone to follow the same path because I recognize that success in life has many paths and the the feeling of success itself has many faces.

No one is going to provide the perfect life for someone else and those that try should be avoided.

 

[kristin]

Let's face it, we all use tobacco for some reason. I'm sure there are BP answers for a lot of them. HOWEVER, is that a better answer.

Unless BP can come up with a better answer for my hand-mouth habit that doesn't involve the fatty foods I'd otherwise be stuffing in my face, nail biting or a pill that changes my personality, e-cigarettes are my best answer! LOL!

 

[rothenbj]

Kristin, why would we want you to change you personality through chemicals.

 

[Vocalek]

My BP pill would be much more powerful. It would need to block the formation of alpha-synuclean proteins in the brain, relax the skeletal muscules, trigger altertness, and relieve depression and anxiety.

Oh, did I forget to mention that I didn't want any nasty side effects?

 

[kristin]

Kristin, why would we want you to change you personality through chemicals.

Exactly - nicotine doesn't do that to me, but BP would probably want me to take some sort of anti-depressant to ease my "symptoms" which causes me to over eat and/or do the numerous other "fidgity" habits I have. I guess I may have a very mild form of OCD or ADD, which the ACTION of smoking (or using e-cigarettes now) helps. Gum, patches, pills and lozenges don't help keep my hands busy! And I've read how anti-depreeants and ADD medications can make you almost a zombie - I wouldn't want that and I don't need that.

The actions of smoking are equal to or even greater than my nicotine dependence.

 

[maxx]

Since this discussion has taken a different tack...sort of into reasons why smokers smoke, it reminds me of something. Anti-smokers will have never understood and never will understand all the reasons for smoking. They will never acknowledge that in many cases, it is self-medication in preference to prescription drugs. I am in the construction business and this involves climbing to height on ladders and scaffold sometime to 50+ feet, or walking a steel girder at similar height. Now under good conditions, I can do this. But sometimes you get to the jobsite and stand at the bottom of the scaffold and say to yourself, "I can't do this today". It might be because you had a close call the day before or your buddy got hurt or the cold wind just penetrates your clothes. At that moment, my best friend is a cigarette. I light up...take a few puffs...and the ladder suddenly isn't so scary.

Now I have been laid off (like many in my business) since going electronic, so I don't know if they can get me up the ladder when the time comes. But if they don't, then I want to know that good ol' smoke will still be there for those times. I need a little help now and then if I want to compete for a job with the younger, fearless guys swinging from the side of the building without a care.

 

[maxx]

Oh...and I should point out that seeing pictures of death and damage on my pack is not something I really want to see just before climbing...

Just saying...

 

[rothenbj]

Maxx, ladders and steel girders are not a safe alternatives. Just sayin.......