Your government wants to gross you out!

In an article on ABC News Online, titled "AMA Urges Ban On Cigarette Packet Covers" the Australian Medical Association and the federal government want to ban cigarette cases because they see them as a way to obscure the totally gross pictures which they are now forcing manufacturers to print on cigarrette packets.

Damm right!!

I smoke. I know the risks. I dont need to be reminded every time I light up - I have a longer attention span than that - and if they think Im comfortable being forced to see disgusting images of rotten gums or diseased eyes, they are insane!! We go to great lengths to prevent kids from seeing such images on the net or TV, yet now they will be everywhere. When was the last time you saw a discarded cigarette packet on the street?

The government see the sudden rise in sales of cigarette cases as "profiteering", yet they have been around in one form or another for a very long time. Originally they were a luxury, a sign of affluence and style. Now they are simply nescessary, and smokers everywhere want one. Its just supply meeting demand.

To legislate that cases or covers must have the same disgusting images printed on them is like trying to legislate what colour shoes we must wear. Once we have bought the cigarettes, its nobodys business how we then choose to store or carry them.

If you think the pictures on packs are bad, wait until you see the commercials on television. One came on last night while my wife (a non-smoker) and I were having dinner. She was grossed out by the images of a gangrenous leg about to be surgically removed. There are now statistically more non-smokers than smokers out there. How do they expect them to react to these commercials?

Movies containing violence or horror depicted with latex props and special effects are rated by censors and given a later time slot, but these so called "community service" commercials are unrated and free to show the real thing. How does that work ???

Dont get me wrong. I know smoking is bad for you, but its my choice to continue, and I do so for my own reasons. I welcome efforts to reduce the number of people who take up the habit, but I stop short of wanting to turn the stomachs of smokers and non-smokers alike.

You can rest assured that no matter what the government does I will not put up with these images - even if it means I have to wrap my cigarette packets in masking tape.

Personally, I'd rather opt for a stylish case to hold my smokes, but if thats not an option...

Update: 17th September, 2006

These ads have now been appearing on the back of busses for several weeks. You can imagine the size I am talking about. Next time you feel car sick, pull over and let the bus ahead of you dissapear into the distance.