Big whines from Big Tobacco
As some of you may be aware, there is reasonably reliable evidence that smoking isn’t particularly good for you. After decades of practices such as telling the public the opposite, covering up and falsifying data, upping nicotine content to make the product even more addictive and other nefarious acts, the tobacco industry now finds itself required to make government-imposed amends.
One such amend: the tobacco industry is to run an ad campaign containing “corrective statements,” such as:
Not surprisingly, the tobacco industry is whining. Among other whines, they allege that the statements are “inflammatory and inaccurate,” and “plainly designed solely to shame and humiliate” them.
As to “inflammatory” and “designed solely to shame and humiliate”: Yeah. So?
As to “inaccurate”: How, exactly?
—Steve Cuno
As some of you may be aware, there is reasonably reliable evidence that smoking isn’t particularly good for you. After decades of practices such as telling the public the opposite, covering up and falsifying data, upping nicotine content to make the product even more addictive and other nefarious acts, the tobacco industry now finds itself required to make government-imposed amends.
One such amend: the tobacco industry is to run an ad campaign containing “corrective statements,” such as:
- “A federal court is requiring tobacco companies to tell the truth about cigarette smoking. Here’s the truth: ... Smoking kills 1,200 Americans. Every day.”
- “For decades, we denied that we controlled the level of nicotine delivered in cigarettes. Here’s the truth. ... We control nicotine delivery to create and sustain smokers’ addiction, because that’s how we keep customers coming back.”
- “We told Congress under oath that we believed nicotine is not addictive. We told you that smoking is not an addiction and all it takes to quit is willpower. Here’s the truth: Smoking is very addictive. And it’s not easy to quit.”
- “Just because lights and low tar cigarettes feel smoother, that doesn’t mean they are any better for you. Light cigarettes can deliver the same amounts of tar and nicotine as regular cigarettes.”
Not surprisingly, the tobacco industry is whining. Among other whines, they allege that the statements are “inflammatory and inaccurate,” and “plainly designed solely to shame and humiliate” them.
As to “inflammatory” and “designed solely to shame and humiliate”: Yeah. So?
As to “inaccurate”: How, exactly?
—Steve Cuno
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