Graphic Anti-Smoking Signs May Soon Be Law At Sales Counter

The city's health department just wants you to be healthy, which is why you can no longer innocently order a pina colada at Pizzeria Uno while pretending it doesn't contain multitudes of calories. The latest proposal to dispel New Yorkers' ignorant bliss involves requiring any retailers selling cigarettes to display graphic warning signs (like the sample here) about the dangers of smoking, plus information on where to seek help quitting. The proposed measure would require retailers to post the warnings wherever tobacco products are displayed, and also at the cash register or point of purchase. Officials hope it will help more New Yorkers quit; according to DOH stats, tobacco-related illness kills 7,400 people in the city each year. In fact, smoking kills more New Yorkers than AIDS, drugs, homicide and suicide combined! So today the Board of Health voted to solicit public comment on the proposed amendment (which you can read here), and a public hearing will be held on July 30th. What do you think? Too graphic or not graphic enough? (And last year the Health Department unveiled a line of graphic anti-smoking matchbooks.)

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By John Del Signore in News on June 24, 2009 5:26 PM

Comments [rss]

marleneb

All the nannies in the world will not intimidate me into using pharmaceutical nicotine or drugs that are proven more harmful than smoking. If smokers want to quit they will. I don't want my behavior modified to profit bug pharma with their cessation products. I will not account for my actions to strangers. I don't want the government trampling my friend's property rights. We used to smoke while in the hospital. Shocked? You have been socially engineered to the detriment of freedom with lies construed by bug pharma's money!

REALITY CHECK

Anti-smoking ads and signage never work because they hire cheap ad-makers who don't know how to make ads. Usually ads we see are graphic, condescending, self-righteous or too obvious.

I've only seen one good anti-smoking ad campaign, and it's the only one that empathizes with the smoker. American Legacy "Re-learn Coffee". Beautiful ad, and you can tell a lot of thought went into it. It's been much more effective than this self-righteous Australian ad that attempts to "guilt" you into quitting.

NannyState

Surgeon General's Warning: Smoking causes hysteria.

themercenary

I am quitting smoking and every time I see one of those freaky ads I ache for a smoke. Totally stress inducing. I especially like the ones that show people who are fucked up even though they quit. Thanks for the support NYCDOH. At least I am keeping my taxes from them by quitting. Assholes.

ides_of_march

People know smoking is bad, they still do it. This is just the nanny state politicians jerking themselves off.

Gothampc

We already have to look at those nasty ads on the subway of the woman with her fingers chopped off. Enough is enough.

ANGRYGOD11

Actually, those ads are the better ones. You can't scare kids with cancer, it's too long term. But, to lose your fingers can scare anybody.

verbal

more self-righteous proselytizing by the tax hungry midget mayor.

littlemascara

Graphic pictures of throat and mouth tumors on cigarette packs in Asia helped me quit smoking. Once I saw the pictures I didn't want to smoke ever again. I am all for anything that will help someone else quit smoking.

jaycjay

Really, that surprises me. You'd read warnings, heard all about cancer risk and lung disease and all the rest for your entire life but didn't worry about any of that until you saw graphic photos of diseased organs?

OK, maybe it will help some people then.

inoyourider

Cool.

It probably will help.

felixthecat2

Almost 2.2 million people -- including 862,012 New Yorkers -- live in neighborhoods where the levels of cancer-causing air pollutants exceed a 100 in 1 million cancer risk, an Environmental Protection Agency study found.

http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/health/2009/06/24/2009-06-24_new_yorkers_face_highest_increased_cancer_risk_from_air_pollution_epa_study_find.html

gothamguy

Yeah, and while we are at it why don't we post car-wreck photos at the bar to deter DWI and photos of fat people in the candy aisle.

drewo

And following up on this concern about the welfare of our citizens, auto dealers are soon to have signs in their showrooms: "Over 40,000 Americans are killed each year by automobiles".

buttface

Stupid. The warning on the cigarette box says everything that needs to be said.

redhookreject

but they sure like the tax money collected by tobacco.

Rocknrope

Seriously, I'm all for less smokers, but to reiterate jayclay, you've got to be a complete idiot not to know that smoking is bad for you at this point. Any schmuck under the age of 20 who starts smoking in this day and age deserves to have lungs riddled with polyps.

Just don't expect me to foot your medical bills.