I got this South Park video emailed to me from a critic of my blog who says it represents my fascist attitude towards the war on smoking. It's funny, but truth be told, I'm not that extreme.
Sure, I'm fed up with stupid nicotine addicts making my life miserable with their secondhand smoke, and I'd love it if not one person ever smoked again. However, this doesn't mean that I'd stoop to the immoral and criminal strategies of the tobacco industry and their supporters, or that I would approve of making tobacco illegal, along with government prohibition.
We all know just how well that's working with the war on drugs, right?
Like the South Park kids, I'm all about individual choice and personal responsibility.
But, nicotine addiction is a serious health concern, and there is not one positive aspect of tobacco abuse that should warrant it's use. The only reason tobacco products exist is to intentionally addict us in order to line someone else's pockets. People need to be warned about the addictive properties of tobacco, and the negative affects it has on one's health.
Once educated, if one is still foolish enough to begin smoking, or to continue smoking once he/she becomes addicted, then that person should accept the consequences of their choice, and without all of the "poor me" attitude when he/she starts to experience any of the negative affects from their poor choice. You made the choice, live with it.
I also don't believe that non-smokers should be expected to become involved in, or a victim of, a smoker's addiction. It's been shown, time after time, that an addict doesn't care how their addiction affects others around them, so there needs to be rules, regulations, and laws in place to address secondhand smoke and other negative behaviors.
So while I think that Smoking Blows, if you really feel the need to harm yourself, make sure that you accept the personal responsibility not to affect everyone else with your choice.
How do you know if the tobacco industry wasn't behind the making of this south park episode?
ReplyDeleteHow do you know that the tobacco industry isn't behind me Hal? On the internet, no one knows for sure.
ReplyDeleteThe best way to prevent becoming part of the manipulative hypocrisy on both sides of the tobacco abuse issue is to never get started.
What I meant was - and as statistics show - about 90% of adult smokers started smoking when they were young teens.
ReplyDeleteAre children and young teens able to make adult choices, and choose not to smoke? No, that's why the tobacco industry targets them and get them addicted before they are able to make intelligent choices. By the time they realize their mistake, they're already addicted.
Yep, you're right Hal. That makes sense. I now can see why you would think that the tobacco industry might have sponsored this episode of South Park.
ReplyDeleteYou know something? I'm absolutely wrong in my opinion when I wrote this post.
ReplyDeleteI started this blog because I hate secondhand smoke and can't stand inconsiderate smokers consistently stinking up my personal space.
But, starting this blog has led me to become better educated about the tobacco industry and those whom profit from it at smokers expense.
Like I said, I'm all about personal choice. But now that I know that approximately 90% of smokers became addicted to nicotine before they ever graduated from high school, I realize the foolishness of my prior opinion.
Personal choice, and the responsibilities that come with decision-making, can't be extended to, or expected from, children.
There is no way that preteens and teens can be expected to make rational decisions, especially decisions about smoking.
Since the vast majority of smokers became addicted to nicotine before they were rationally, and legally, capable of making appropriate decisions about their future, there is no way these same addicted smokers can be blamed for poor personal decision-making.
I now believe that the blame lies fully with those who create cigarettes, market those cigarettes to youth, provide cigarettes to teens or preteens, or allow their teens to continue to smoke after becoming aware of the problem.
Knowing full well the consequences of smoking, those adults or entities should be held fully liable for contributing to their addiction, even when it extends into adulthood.