This is something that has bugged me for years and now I have a place to mention it.
I'd like to know what U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop recieved from tobacco companies to push for our rotating 4 warning system on cigarettes or was he just duped into it.
Here are the warnings:
Smoking Causes Lung Cancer, Heart Disease, Emphysema, And May Complicate Pregnancy.
Quitting Smoking Now Greatly Reduces Serious Risks to Your Health.
Smoking By Pregnant Women May Result in Fetal Injury, Premature Birth, and Low Birth Weight.
Cigarette Smoke Contains Carbon Monoxide.
The first one yeah thats a waring good job. 2nd says that quitting smoking is good for you, NOT that smoking is bad for you. 3rd yes it is a warning but it's one that speaks to a small percentage of the public. Finally
"Cigarette Smoke Contains Carbon Monoxide." Come on! Thats not a warning. Thats an ingredient. What is carbon monoxide? I know, you know, guess how many people don't. I'm sure alot of "man in the street" quiz replies would be "thats what you breath out." And even if you know what it is, is it bad for you? Can you say why? Why didn't they go with Arsenic or Cyanide? Are those too recognizable as poisons.
I am not anti-tobacco, I am just anti-corruption and I think those warnings being OKed for cigarettes is a joke. They were obviously designed to lessen the impact of the single warning under the guise four is four times better than one.
Finally, let me just say I only started smoking so that I could quit and "Greatly Reduce Serious Risks to My Health."
Oh and WARNING: Tea Contains Aluminum.
2 comments:
I thought there were 4 warnings so that the tabacco companies could have a choice of their preferred warning. I have to say that most often I see the one about pregnancy and carbon monoxide poisoning - proof that (a) tabacco companies know that there is no man who gives a shit if the warning on the pack is about pregnancy, and (b) you're right, I don't think anyone gives Carbon Monoxide a 2nd thought. But have you checked out the new Canadian warnings? (http://lurquer.com/cig/) I personally think the old versions were better "Smoking Can Kill You" & "Cigarettes Cause Cancer". The new warnings are long, and start with titles like "Somoking Can Make You Impotent" and "Where There's Smoke There's Hydrogen Cyanide". Canada: no guns and better cigarette warnings, hmmm...
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