The other day I was reading the paper and saw an article about the big tobacco companies having a bit of a cry about the proposed plain packaging laws on cigarettes here in Australia. They feel that having their logos removed from the packet is unfair as they will lose their brand identity. I thought that people smoked their choice of smokes because they liked the flavour, strength or perhaps the size of the cigarette itself? IMO changing the packaging on smokes will not change which brand people smoke, it’s not like they are going to abandon their winnys, eccys or champs just because the logos were removed and the colour of the packet changed to khaki. I’d still buy my white ox if it was sold in zip lock bags with the brand name written on it with a permanent texta.
Another point they made was that if the packaging was made plain it would be far easier for counterfeiting across all brands. The article also claimed that children as young as 14 were buying these counterfeit cigarettes and that the counterfeiting industry was putting a dent in big tobacco’s profits. REALLY?!? I’m 21 and have never been offered black market cigarettes, not from the schizophrenics down at the midnight supermarket, not by people in bars, not even by drug dealers. How many of you have ever been offered black market cigs? Bullshit big tobacco, how full of shit do you want to be? But even so, I’m against the plain packaging laws because they’re put forward by the anti-smokers groups. They aren’t just anti-cigarettes they are anti-smokers who ultimately seek to take away the freedom of smokers and I feel most of their proposals need to be blocked on general principal.
The only reason anti-smoking groups become so heated is because they don't consent to sharing the smoke. Smoking does not need to be banned, just regulated so that those who like to enjoy a smoke may do so, whist those who would prefer not to can do so.
ReplyDeleteYou can get counterfeit cigarettes in North Korea not Australia. Lol, poor argument. However, it does suck that cigarette smokers are slowly becoming social pariahs.
ReplyDeleteIt is pretty silly. Man wants to smoke let him smoke damn you!
ReplyDeletedude i live next to a freeway and its like smoking a couple of cigs a day... nothing you can do about it cause its about the only place we can afford.
ReplyDeleteYeah making all packaging uniform will not put anybody off. If anything, it will just increase the appeal to young teenagers who are trying to rebel!
ReplyDeleteI didn't even know there were such things as black market cigarettes, but then again I don't smoke cigs. Some of my friends who do smoke make rollies though, they're pretty cool.
ReplyDeleteAgree with polyesterr, smoking sucks, gonna quit ._.
ReplyDeleteridiculous, people know the risk if they want to smoke let them and mind your own damn business
ReplyDeleteMust be pretty cheap to flog back market cigarettes though, given the taxation
ReplyDeleteHey. Hey kid. Wanna buy one of theseeee *opens jacket*
ReplyDeleteMy old man used to drive onto the Natives land and buy their cigarettes, they smelled so gross. Great post though, keep it up!
ReplyDeleteJust bought my first pack of the year... been bumming them for for way to long. I should just stop.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know smoking caused blindness.
ReplyDeletei was offered :D
ReplyDeleteI don't see anything wrong with plain packaging... In this day and age people understand smoking can kill you
ReplyDeletehaha ive never even heard of counterfeits lol
ReplyDeleteAgree. Nothing will change. I'm betting New Zealand will try to be smoke free in our generation. Good luck with that.
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of counterfeit cigs until now. I don't smoke personally. I have, but I got sick of the feeling. Suppose that's good.
ReplyDeleteim addicted to cheap chinese ciggies that make you spit black tar in the morning. they're really strong so i can't smoke other cigarettes because they're just too weak.
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