When the Australian High Court forced tobacco manufacturers to sell cigarettes in packaging without their distinctive colours and logos from December last year, the World Health Organisation (WHO) applauded this decision, saying that it was the right thing to do to protect the health of Australia’s youth.
However, in a shock twist yesterday, it was revealed that the take up of smoking amongst young people has actually climbed 300 percent, with the legally mandated plain packaging providing the attraction.
“The problem isn’t so much the drab brown packaging itself,” a WHO spokesperson, Glenn Thomas, said.
“It’s the images and warnings that are on it. Children as young as two have been witnessed smoking their last cigarette, then giving the empty pack to an older child to cut out the graphic and textual warnings for them. These are then traded just as cigarette cards used to be. The WHO hasn’t seen anything like this since the banning of candy sticks on the basis that they look like cigarettes.”
Well, if you ask this reporter, the whole idea of ‘plain packaging’ is that it is PLAIN. Otherwise, one can expect to see children being attracted by the rather ghoulish images and text that are so abundant now.
crazy pic. sad if it’s real.
I wish everyone would stop smoking because the new “don’t smoke” ads are creeping me out. I don’t like watching people tell me about their stomas and their bathing habits due to throat cancer, lung cancer and generally bad health from smoking. So please, if you smoke, stop. It’s creeping me out.
@ P. Beckert: Great idea. Blame smokers for the crap that’s being shoved in your face, not those who are paying for it; Governments and the WHO.
Of course, Sheogorath, you make a valid point; however, the fact still remains that the ads are creepy and I hate them…I hate watching ads about mistreated animals and children who don’t have enough food to eat as well…It must be my problem but honestly, I can’t take any more of the world’s problems on my shoulders. I’m starting to get serious back problems.
P.S. You know, I could blame the tobacco companies. I never really thought about it until your wise words…