W-a-a-y back in my college days I foolishly thought it might be a good idea to start smoking cigarettes. After all, aren’t we all of the mindset that we’re indestructible at that age? Most of us pushed the limits in any number of areas: we drove too fast, ate junk food as if nutritious things could be extruded from a machine, smoked assorted vegetable matter – both legal and illegal (how many of you remember Jakartas, those revolting clove cigarettes?) – and drank some of the worst screw-top wines available, all in the name of fun.Eventually many of us grew out of it. Those that didn’t (at the very least) learn to cut back or control our usage were rewarded with tickets and higher insurance rates, lost driver’s licenses, a colorful variety of cancers, time in recovery homes, hobbled lives as active alcohol or drug abusers or have already died because of one or more of the above. I’ve been direct witness to far too much of it, personally.
It’s undoubtedly safe to say that nobody involved with junk food, tobacco or alcohol production in any way, shape or form gives a hoot about any of that, though; it’s big business. In third world countries this is even more the case, in my opinion.
In Thailand, cigarettes are not supposed to be out in plain view anywhere they’re sold. In 7-11 stores they’re within reach of the cashiers, but are kept in a storage cabinet behind the counter that’s normally closed.
Since a Thai law took effect in 2005 each pack has prominently featured a graphic color photograph on the front, showing the effects of smoking: damaged teeth and gums, blackened lungs, tracheal tubes and the likes. They’re not pretty. Not only the packs themselves, but each carton is has an assortment of the images printed on it.
Somewhat stricter regulations were signed into law last September, and are due to be taking effect this month. SEATCA, the South East Asian Tobacco Control Alliance lists these as:
1. Three new pictures to add to the mix
2. The size of the pictures on both sides of the pack must be 55% of the surface
3. The warning must include the 1600 national “quit line” number
4. Each carton is required to have all 10 pictures printed on it
5. Each carton must contain packs with at least two different graphic warnings
Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam all offer similar warnings. It must drive the tobacco companies absolutely nuts.
I certainly HOPE it does.
I've always been surprised by the number of smokers I see in videos from Asia. I think China has the highest per capita number of smokers in the world. Here in the states, at least on the left and right coasts the stigma that now comes with smoking is forcing people to quit. In the mid-west.. not to much. Whether SNUS, the 99 percent safe scandinavian smokeless nicotine, catches on remains to be seen.
ReplyDeleteThere are always those who will insist that the harmful isn't harmful. Education is the key, and education gets cut in so many ways and on so many levels. Fortunately I'll be dead and gone before there are people walking around with the front of their faces cut off because of smokeless tobacco usage. Ah, well... on to something lighter tomorrow. Thanks for the comment.
ReplyDeleteThere was a follow-up comment from Anonymous supporting the use of smokeless tobacco. While I agree that the product they mentioned is not the same as chewing tobacco (I was incorrect), it still delivers nicotine. Anonymous said it was “for people who absolutely can’t quit smoking tobacco or chewing tobacco”. ANYONE who has a desire to quit can quit, with help. If a user chooses to think they can't, that's their choice. I do not believe either tobacco or nicotine usage is a good thing, and will end the debate at that. My apologies on rejecting the comment, Anonymous. Thank you for correcting my mistake, though.
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