Philip Morris says cigs bad

[Faithless]

What's up with that commercial where Philip Morris seems to "come to Jesus" on cigarette usage? Is it sincerity, or bullshit?

Philip Morris commercial review (http://www.comedyzine.com/tvcrjul03.html) cigarette smoking and disease (http://www.philipmorrisusa.com/health_issues/cigarette_smoking_and_disease.asp)
Philip Morris USA agrees with the overwhelming medical and scientific consensus that cigarette smoking causes lung cancer, heart disease, emphysema and other serious diseases in smokers. Smokers are far more likely to develop serious diseases, like lung cancer, than non-smokers. There is no safe cigarette.

These are and have been the messages of the U.S. Surgeon General and public health authorities worldwide. Smokers and potential smokers should rely on these messages in making all smoking-related decisions.

...links...

Our Support of Consistent Public Health Messages

Philip Morris USA supports a single, consistent public health message on the role played by cigarette smoking in the development of disease in smokers, as well as smoking and addiction. This includes our support of the law that requires cigarette manufacturers to place health warnings on packages and in advertisements and our belief that government and public health officials should determine the content of the warning messages.

I thought there was a consistent public health message on cigs.

[mr. x]

well there was that The Truth ad where the gator is like "yeah just help in the community and stuff" and the disembodied voice is like "and get that brand recognition out eh?"

and the gators like "bingo"

i spose to some extent its a sort of advertising, i mean everyone knows how bad it is anyway. i highly doubt they have the most pure intentions, they're a corporation after all

[hooligan]

can we get an "obvious" title for this? bullshit. they know that they're addictive, now they've got the youth of america.

[kboy75]

it doesn't matter what PM or other cig co.'s say. cigs don't need advertising. they sell themselves.

anyone read the section on teenage smoking in the book The Tipping Point? fascinating...

[rice cracker]

PM says cigs are bad while ricecracker says "Derrrr." *lights up another one*

[Blue dice]

What bothers me is that quite a few asian nations smoke voraciously compared with the U.S. The U.S. used to be bad until smoking stopped being trendy but in asia it's gained acceptance. Health and awareness campaigns haven't started up there so big tobacco like Philip Morris will always find willing consumers overseas. Even with fobs that come here I find that a good majority seem to smoke :\. Hell, most other asian guys/girls i've met seem to smoke I'm the exception most of the time.

[Sledge]

Finally! Kids will stop smoking now!

[Danny]

What bothers me is that quite a few asian nations smoke voraciously compared with the U.S. The U.S. used to be bad until smoking stopped being trendy but in asia it's gained acceptance. Health and awareness campaigns haven't started up there so big tobacco like Philip Morris will always find willing consumers overseas. Even with fobs that come here I find that a good majority seem to smoke :\. Hell, most other asian guys/girls i've met seem to smoke I'm the exception most of the time.

Exactly why PM is doing what they can Stateside, they may come out and say this to keep lawsuits from eating away at their empire, but they know that the cigarettes they sell overseas are making them an incredibly tidy profit.

[Emperor_Mike]

Telling people who are addicted to your product that what they're consuming is bad makes little to no difference whatsoever. Odds are, many can't stop buying it even if constant usage will kill them - which is the case with cigarettes. What a sad state of affairs.

[Blue dice]

Telling people who are addicted to your product that what they're consuming is bad makes little to no difference whatsoever. Odds are, many can't stop buying it even if constant usage will kill them - which is the case with cigarettes. What a sad state of affairs.
That's true..my sympathy is limited for chronic smokers with health problems. During the usual adolescent trial and error period I tried smoking in the usual social setting. I don't see how anyone can get addicted, smoking just fucking sucks. Nothing redeeming whatsoever plus it's an expensive ass habit.

[Emperor_Mike]

That's true..my sympathy is limited for chronic smokers with health problems. During the usual adolescent trial and error period I tried smoking in the usual social setting. I don't see how anyone can get addicted, smoking just fucking sucks. Nothing redeeming whatsoever plus it's an expensive ass habit.

It's the old story of pressure and the like. The vast majority of teenagers and children (in particular) are easily influenced. The problems with getting addicted to smoking is two pronged, really. On one hand you have companies, television, and films advertising the supposed glamour behind cigarettes. On the other hand you have groups of adults and young people buying into this life-stealing habit and either directly or indirectly influencing others into picking up the activity.

In this matter there isn't a single party that can bear the full blame for the general tobacco driven malaise that current hangs over societies the world over. It used to be that cigarette corporations can be attacked for being the progenitor of the problem, but nowadays you have people who consciously or subconsciously promote the dubious sophistication or "cool factor" of taking a puff from your "Malborough Slims" or what-have-you.

[Faithless]

Telling people who are addicted to your product that what they're consuming is bad makes little to no difference whatsoever.

Maybe, but it sure beats the heck out of denying that your cigs do harm.

PM even admits that second hand smoke can be bad.

PM 2nd hand smoke piece (http://www.philipmorrisusa.com/health_issues/secondhand_smoke.asp?)

With all this PM stuff, when will they say, "OK, we're not making or selling the stuff anymore."?