Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2017/11/26/corporate-murderers.html
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And at the bottom it’ll say:
But, all of the other products foisted on you by advertising and capitalism are perfectly safe. Don’t worry one little bit.
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Good. Let’s hope the NFL, casinos, and soft drink companies will have similar penalties.
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Tobacco hasn’t become non-profitable yet.
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Sure. Then reorganize as a “new” company and gets an exception passed that thy can’t be sued as you chose to use a product that had those risks.
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Murray Garnick, a spokesliar for Altria, who own the Marlboro trademark, publicly stated that his employers were now manufacturing “less risky tobacco products.”
Sort of like “clean coal.” The tobacco industry teacher seems to be borrowing from the energy industry student now, despite the court order.
It’s a shame Edward Bernays isn’t around to see this. Sadly, though, the damage is already done, and in 2017 I still see teenagers smoking because it’s “cool.” As nice as it is to see liars being made to publically admit that they’re liars, I doubt that this campaign will make much of a dent in the problem.
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Yes. Sure. Great. Make them admit their crimes. And then…business as usual?
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I haven’t read the blog post (I saw who wrote it) but a long way down one of the linked articles, and in the Guardian’s coverage, the point is made that the ads are to run in print newspapers and on TV.
One of the linked articles does mention the websites of TV networks, but there’s no obligation to run the ads where modern audiences will actually see them on the web: no YouTube, Facebook, etc. ads are required.
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That’s very satisfying, but I think these corporations really deserved the death penalty for this one. After all if corporations are going to be people, then I’m going to support capital punishment for corporations. I mean, so tidy - nobody is harmed. Just do what really matters to them: take all their money away and end them.
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But not on PBS? “This program is brought to in part by Phillip Morris, which is legally obligated to remind you that all cigarettes cause cancer, lung disease, heart attacks, and premature death – lights, low tar, ultra lights, and naturals. There is no safe cigarette; and from contributions from viewers like you.”
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My asthma thanks them.
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This is something that earns simultaneously a “finally” and a “not soon enough” designation.
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And if even one person stops smoking because of these ads, I for one will fall over in shock and surprise.
People already know it is bad for you. I will bet if you stopped one hundred smokers and asked them, at least 95% would tell you they know it is bad for them and knew it when they started.
Stupid people do stupid things and you cannot change that behavior pattern.
I have to add: Boing-Boing’s self righteous behavior becomes even more amusing when almost the next article is:
“To ease your smoking pains, the Twisty Glass Blunt fits up to a half gram of plant material at a time,”
I had an amusing conversation with an ER doctor recently over the spike in admissions of people with uncontrollable vomiting due to pot smoking.
“Coinciding with the increasing rates of cannabis abuse has been the recognition of a new clinical condition known as Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome. Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome is characterized by chronic cannabis use, cyclic episodes of nausea and vomiting…”
So don’t get too smug about how safe your “herb” of choice is. Inhaling the smoke of burning leaves is never going to be a healthy option but people will always find an excuse to do it and to downplay addiction/health problems of any sort while doing so.
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I think I recall reading it actually is unprofitable in the States, but France and Spain are happy to subsidize the loss.
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That is a conundrum. Corporations are people but we can’t punish them like people because they are not people.
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Kind of ironic that BB continues to aid and abet the Tobacco industry with this product in their store
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I rather doubt anyone ever filled one of those with tobacco.
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Philip Morris USA already did:
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My memories of a misspent youth, include mixing tobacco with the marijuana, however it doesn’t really matter what you put in it. Whatever you smoke you are still inhaling micro-participials and exposing your lungs to all the other combustion by products. In another decade or so the E-cigarette industry will probably be forced to produce the similar advertisements.
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Let’s see: So it’s either sending execs to jail for fraud, cover-ups, and being carcinogenic drug dealers… or having them stay out of jail by putting up the truth for a year. Nice to see that lobby bucks still work.
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