Lately, I've been noticing a lot of anti-tobacco ads on tv, most notably the TRUTH ads that have anti-cigarette protests in front of a tobacco company headquarters (Which living in NYC I recognize the building as the Philip Morris Headquarters.)
These ads are really starting to annoy me, and I’m now starting to side with the tobacco companies.
First off, I never smoked cigarettes and never will. I can’t stand cigarettes and hate when people light up around me. I do smoke cigars but only occasionally and its either in my home or a cigar lounge. However, I don’t care that people smoke cigarettes. If they want to smoke a butt and risk lung cancer then that’s their problem. Since the New York ban on cigarettes kicked in, I’ve had almost no contact with people smoking, which has been nice. If people need to smoke, they can do it outside or in the privacy of their homes. That’s their choice, as its their choice to smoke.
Alcohol is just as, and maybe more dangerous than tobacco, yet nobody protests the banishment of that. Or even automobiles…
Tobacco companies choose not to advertise on TV (they can, but then anti-tobacco companies can legally advertise the same amount which is why they don’t), they don’t advertise to children, and aren’t half as aggressive as they were 20 years ago. They have had to deal with ridiculous amounts of taxes, their products being banned from all public indoor places and events, and an onslaught of negative press.
I think the tobacco companies have done more than their share in warning people about the potential problems their products carry, and have complied with all of the laws against them.
In the end, its up the PEOPLE whether they want to smoke or not. These TRUTH ads should focus on THEM, not the companies. The tobacco companies simply provide a product, its up to the people to buy and use it.