There was a commercial a couple years ago where a bunch of people stood outside a “big tobacco company” building and fell at the same time for a “die in.” It was one of those Truth commercials that’ve been pretty popular for a while.
I hate those damn things. They make me want a cigarette. Maybe it’s my rebellious nature disliking that people are telling me what to do (or rather, what not to do) or maybe it’s because I quit last week. It’s probably the first one, though.
I feel like these commercials have been popping up more and more frequently, and I demand to know why!
Alright, actually I don’t care why. I just want them to stop.
Stop preaching to the choir. Do they really think anyone is paying attention other than the folks who have never smoked or who have already quit?
Stop taking up my air time. I never get to watch TV; if you must show me commercials, bring back the talking baby from that trading company or whatever it is.
Stop telling me what to do. Do you really think I don’t know the toll cigarettes are taking on my health? They cause cancer and wrinkles. They make your clothes and your breath smell awful. They cost a ton of money. I got it.
Finally, stop spending money on pointless commercials. Use that money to actually help people who want to quit. Of course, there’s the argument that people won’t know what help is available if it’s not advertised. Trust me, if a smoker wants help quitting, they’ll find help.
I don’t want anyone to complain that I’m condoning smoking. I’m not. It’s an awful habit and children (or anyone really) should never start doing it. I’ll admit there are some valid points made by the Truth.com and other anti-smoking groups, but I feel that these groups are overlooking two very important issues that trump everything else:
1) Smokers know what they’re getting themselves into. A lot of groups say they’re protecting the children, but by this point, the kids understand it, too. Thanks, D.A.R.E., for putting cigarettes right up there with drugs and violence!
2) (And this is really important) Cigarettes are what keep us from snapping on you every time you say we need to quit. That’s the real reason anti-smoking ads make me want a cigarette; if I’m smoking, I’m not thinking about how much I want to throw something at the screen.
