Graphic Cigarette Warning Labels Blocked By Judge

[PaulB]

WASHINGTON — A judge on Monday blocked a federal requirement that would have begun forcing tobacco companies next year to put graphic images including dead and diseased smokers on their cigarette packages.

U.S. District Judge Richard Leon ruled that it's likely the cigarette makers will succeed in a lawsuit to block the requirement. He stopped the requirement until the lawsuit is resolved, which could take years.

Leon found the nine graphic images approved by the Food and Drug Administration in June go beyond conveying the facts about the health risks of smoking or go beyond that into advocacy – a critical distinction in a case over free speech...

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Relevant here, imo, for two reasons:

1. The same prohibitionist players and mentality behind graphic warning labels carry over very much into e-cigarette prohibitionist activity.

2. Notice the district judge-- the same Judge Leon who ordered the FDA to stop seizing e-cigarette component shipments.

 

[The Wiz]

Thanks for posting this Paul. Judge Leon made the right decision here. I think most smokers realize the dangers associated with smoking without having to view a deceased body lying on an autopsy table. I heard there is an appeal pending on this ruling which comes as no surprise.

Wiz!

 

[John Phoenix]

If you do Google Image search for Cigarette Warnings you will see these types of (and worse) graphic warnings are common in all other countries on Earth. Some countries have used them for many years now. The USA is the last country to use them or propose using them.

So far there is no study that I know of world wide (and I've looked) that concludes that such warnings on cigarette packages helps people to abstain from smoking. Surely the FDA is aware of this lack of data. I mistrust their reasoning to use such images. Some like the one that says "tobacco smoke causes fatal disease in Nonsmokers" is based on the second hand smoke notion that was concluded through a flawed study. I believe if they can get away little by little by stretching the truth, and make it accepted as truth in society then later they can build on it, gaining more power over us. This is a common tactic of the FDA.

 

[KimberlyM]

I had wondered what happened to these requirements!

 

[sheik124]

I'm not too sure how I feel about this. Overseas, most of the people I know who smoke started before these labels came into use. I'm not a fan of the labels with graphic pictures of humans, but the labels with pictures of messed up lungs are a good deterrent. IMO.

 

[ogredog]

I don't think the govt. should interfere in anything.....besides who doesn't know smoking is bad for you, its not exactly natural to be inhaling smoke into your lungs

 

[Turnip]

This photoshopped horror series has been going a long time here in Oz, I imagine in other places as well-
Why dont they stop wasting our taxpayer money with all their junk science and scare campaigns,
( Judge Leon sounds like a shining example of common sense though)

 

[steven36]

to kids the pics would be cool and i bet they would collect the packs

 

[Petrodus]

 

[DigiBetti]

They use em in Canada, and they keep getting worse. They use to have few funny ones. Like a long ash on a cig bent over like a limp penis saying "smoking can cause impotency." Now it's all over-enlarged diseased hearts and cancer ridden tongues. As far as I can tell it's never caused any smokers I know to quit. More of a conversation starter at smoke break time than anything. Now Canada Health requires that a percentage (can't remember the number) of the packs in a carton have these labels take up 75% of the pack front and back. The actual company label is only a small portion at the bottom. At this rate soon enough the whole pack will just be one big nasty picture.

 

[Petrodus]

They use em in Canada, and they keep getting worse. They use to have few funny ones. Like a long ash on a cig bent over like a limp penis saying "smoking can cause impotency." Now it's all over-enlarged diseased hearts and cancer ridden tongues. As far as I can tell it's never caused any smokers I know to quit. More of a conversation starter at smoke break time than anything. Now Canada Health requires that a percentage (can't remember the number) of the packs in a carton have these labels take up 75% of the pack front and back. The actual company label is only a small portion at the bottom. At this rate soon enough the whole pack will just be one big nasty picture.

Insane !!
Yea, just flat out childish insanity.
Governments fighting wars against the use of a legal product.

Governments educating the public is one thing, however, Outlandish
graphic packages and outlandish graphic TV ads Screams governments
have lost their ever lovin' fricken "childish" Nanny State mind.

The outlandish packaging was struck down in the US ... but I'm
sure, sooner or later, idiots will petition saying "We'll ... other countries
do it and so should we" ... then here we go again.

Just add $5 sin tax to each pack and let the tobacco companies
return to their standard packaging with a small warning.

Giving power to the government is like giving whiskey and car keys to
teenage boys. Not a great idea...One or the other but not both at the same time.
P. J. O'Rourke

Our government is such a huge social embarrassment.

Message to all government officials ... "Fix This" Click Here
The can has already been kicked to the end of the road

 

[PaulB]

They use em in Canada, and they keep getting worse. They use to have few funny ones. Like a long ash on a cig bent over like a limp penis saying "smoking can cause impotency." Now it's all over-enlarged diseased hearts and cancer ridden tongues. As far as I can tell it's never caused any smokers I know to quit. More of a conversation starter at smoke break time than anything. Now Canada Health requires that a percentage (can't remember the number) of the packs in a carton have these labels take up 75% of the pack front and back. The actual company label is only a small portion at the bottom. At this rate soon enough the whole pack will just be one big nasty picture.

After that, they'll probably start requiring that cigarettes be sold 80 to the pack--just for the sake of having a larger canvass for their art projects.

 

[Petrodus]

After that, they'll probably start requiring that cigarettes be sold 80 to the pack--
just for the sake of having a larger canvass for their art projects.

Shhh
You don't want to give them any ideas

 

[Stubby]

So...... are there warning pictures on the black market cigarettes that are sold in Canada. I have heard they sell then in plastic bags of 200 each.

I guess the black market sellers are breaking a few Canadian laws by selling cigarettes without the proper warnings.

 

[smokum]

They use em in Canada, and they keep getting worse. They use to have few funny ones. Like a long ash on a cig bent over like a limp penis saying "smoking can cause impotency." Now it's all over-enlarged diseased hearts and cancer ridden tongues. As far as I can tell it's never caused any smokers I know to quit. More of a conversation starter at smoke break time than anything. Now Canada Health requires that a percentage (can't remember the number) of the packs in a carton have these labels take up 75% of the pack front and back. The actual company label is only a small portion at the bottom. At this rate soon enough the whole pack will just be one big nasty picture.

The graffix are getting so large and so stupid !! as is their use of the words 'MAY cause' or 'MAY contain'.... it either does or it doesn't PERIOD.

The dumbest thing I noticed on the packs now is that they removed the actual contents (or hazardous, contents and measures), somehow thinking that those pictures will actually work better over knowing what the cigarette nic strength & tar/poisons contents are.

We live in a very stupid world..... and its just getting worse !

So...... are the warning pictures on the black market cigarettes that are sold in Canada. I have heard they sell then in plastic bags of 200 each.

I guess the black market sellers are breaking a few Canadian laws by selling cigarettes without the proper warnings.

Black market cigarettes = Indian/Reserve cigarettes. Whole different set of rules for those guys !

 

[Lethalp]

Have u guys seen the commercials? I live in Indiana, ands there has been a series of "you can quit, we can help" commercials featuring amputees, stroke victims, and ppl with tracheotomies.

I would much rather see commercial with pvs.....why can't we have that? Hasn't it been proven that the whole shock and awe thing does not work??

 

[steven36]

crouch don't band you don't wanna lose the food in your stomach

 

[Killjoy1]

I hate those commercials

 

[RichardV]

Is there truth in advertising? I would guess that the ads are mostly using bit play actors and makeup!!
Yet another right the govt. is trying to take away!
As Charlton Heston would have said if he were a vaper "From my cold dead hands!"

 

[CommaHolly]

I can't stand those commercials,,,,,,I turn the TV every time,,,,,,,I don't think they work, and they are flat out disgusting. It's NOT the way to get people to stop smoking,,,,,,,,,the way to get people to stop smoking is to A) hit their wallets and B) offer them a cheaper, less risky alternative,,,,,,,,

but GOD KNOWS Government is trying to get RID of the cheaper, less risky alternative,,,,,then they will wonder why the smoking rate has GONE UP.