Thursday, June 27, 2013

Project SCUM

Project SCUM was a devious plan proposed by the R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company (RJR) to sell cigarettes to members of the "alternative lifestyle" areas of San Francisco, CA, and in particular the large number of Gay people living in the Castro area and the homeless people found in the Tenderloin.

The acronym "SCUM" stood for "subculture urban marketing." RJR, perhaps recognizing the offensive nature of its label, later renamed the marketing plan "Project Sourdough."

An anti-smoking campaign called The Truth targeted R. J. Reynolds for Project SCUM, arguing that it not only showed the usual exploitative tobacco marketing techniques but added to them an explicit contempt, or even hatred, for the people for which it was trying to market its products.


What do you think? Submit your vote at: ugly truth

Friday, June 14, 2013

Chicago Voices | Anita's Story

What happens when the light comes on? Chicago native Anita shares her powerful story about confronting, and ultimately beating, her tobacco addiction with the help of her son.


Source: Chicago Department of Public Health

Saturday, June 1, 2013

Who Are The Real Criminals?

In Australia where plain cigarette packaging is mandated by law, evidence continues to mount that the use of plain packs protect our youth from becoming replacement smokers.

Other countries, like New Zealand, the U.K., and even the U.S.A. have attempted to follow suit, but their elected leaders seem to prefer serving corporate interests/profits over the health of their entire constituency, and the efforts against plain packaging by Big Tobacco continue to prevail.

But, not every political leader caves to corporate threats or demands. Following Australia's efforts to put public health ahead of corporate profits, Ireland has become the second country in the world to legally mandate plain cigarette packaging. Kudos to Ireland for doing the right thing!

And what does Big Tobacco have to say about it? The tobacco industry claims that plain packs would be easier to counterfeit and would lead to more organized crime. Go figure.

I wonder what organized crime leaders would have to say about Big Tobacco's fear-mongering?


Source: Foundation Against Cancer | HT: REframe Kent