Thursday, February 16, 2006

Gross Anti-Smoking Ads

A study of gruesome pictures on cigarette packages showed that throat cancers, blackened lungs and decayed teeth did not deter 12 female volunteers from smoking.

Magnetic resource imaging determined their brains' reactions to the pictures, printed on cigarette packages since 2001. Even the most revolting (to non-smokers) images failed to have an impact on the young women. [Canwest News Service].

Researcher and graduate student Shoshanna Campbell got it right when she said the cigarette packs should show "smoking makes you poor, or if you smoke you'll get ugly."

It's my guess that teenagers, far from being grossed out by the disgusting images might even collect them. This study (fortunately funded not by taxpayers but by something called The Canadian Tobacco Control Research Initiative) is an example of scientists wasting their time and money investigating something that is obvious to laypeople -- namely that youngsters think they're going to live forever.

Until smoking is made to appear uncool the growing percentage of kids (especially girls) will continue.

It's a typical dilemma for Canadian Federal and Provincial Governments: cigarettes are a legal product, their sales bring in a lot of tax money yet smokers get sick and require a good chunk of scarce medical resources. On the other hand, they die sooner thus saving some Medicare dollars.

No wonder politicians are nervous.

It's enough to make them reach for a smoke.