Pro-No Choice
What do you do to combat smoking? A US senator suggests keeping people in the dark about the alternatives.
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by Dave Cross
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The senator wrote to NJOY, Lorillard, Altria, LOGIC Technology and Reynolds American in a bid to get them to refrain from advertising their products for fear of encouraging young people into vaping. Her letter goes as follows:
“I write today to ask you to protect our nation’s youth and the public health by refraining from advertising e-cigarettes on television.
"Last year, the Surgeon General noted in “The Health Consequences of Smoking-50 Years of Progress” that nicotine has known harmful health effects, including consequences for adolescent brain development. Yet the popularity of e-cigarettes is on the rise among youth. In November, research by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention showed that e-cigarette use among high-schoolers tripled over two years from 2011 to 2013. And these children are being exposed to potentially dangerous chemicals, including nicotine, benzene, cadmium, formaldehyde, propylene glycol and nanoparticles that are present in traditional cigarettes, according to the California Department of Public Health.
"Considering these risks, youth exposure to advertising, particularly on television, is happening at an alarming rate. Last June, a study by RTI International published in the journal Paediatrics found that youth exposure to television e-cigarette advertisements increased 256% from 2011 to 2013. The study also found that e-cigarette television ads appeared on broadcast network programs that were among the 100 highest rated youth programs for the 2012-2013 TV season.
"Many e-cigarette advertisements currently on air make clear companies are trying to target a wider audience than what many in your industry claim is the intended market: those who are looking to quit smoking. For nearly 45 years, manufacturers of traditional cigarettes have agreed to a ban on television advertising. I merely ask that you restrict advertising of e-cigarettes in the same manner.
"Please respond to me within 30 days as to whether your company will pledge to refrain from advertising on television. Believe me, your positive response will save lives. If you don’t agree, your industry will be responsible for the consequences.”
The emotive language and threats relied on information from the strongly anti-vaping CDP and California’s Department of Public Health - those responsible for the laughable Still Blowing Smoke campaign. The companies have yet to make a public response. Senator Barbara Boxer is not running in the next election and will stand down in 2016.
Dave Cross
Journalist at POTVDave is a freelance writer; with articles on music, motorbikes, football, pop-science, vaping and tobacco harm reduction in Sounds, Melody Maker, UBG, AWoL, Bike, When Saturday Comes, Vape News Magazine, and syndicated across the Johnston Press group. He was published in an anthology of “Greatest Football Writing”, but still believes this was a mistake. Dave contributes sketches to comedy shows and used to co-host a radio sketch show. He’s worked with numerous start-ups to develop content for their websites.
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