Anti what now?

Within the realms of the so-called ‘public health’ arena, there is always an agenda. More often than not, those agendas may actually prove to be beneficial to the actual public. But that’s in terms of actual medical professionals, the boots on the ground. When it comes to the other entities claiming ‘public health’ agendas. Not so much.

Wasted tax $$$

For years, smokers have been a target for a whole variety of campaigns to try to get them to quit smoking, but the smokers weren’t the original target.  When it became clear that smoking was actually causing a relatively substantial amount of harm, those in gubmint decided to try to do something about smoking. Getting folks to cut down or give up the habit entirely seemed to be the whole idea.  Anti-smoking.  Cue a myriad of campaigns aimed at informing the public of the dangers of smoking.  To be fair, the initial thrust did have a pretty big impact as the general public didn’t really know what potential harms smoking caused.  Well and good, the Anti campaign worked, smoking rates dropped, uptake dropped.  But not significantly.

More and more ‘groups’ popped up with ideas on how to get people to stop smoking, they wanted money (don’t they always, bless). The gubmint gave them money, from public funds of course. Soon enough, anti-smoking became anti-smoker.  Interesting concept.  Instead of propagating the harms and all the ‘bad’ stuff about smoking, they started on the actual smokers.

But of course, this level of stigmatisation was thoroughly researched wasn’t it?  Let’s make those ‘horrible nasty smelly smokers’ feel really terrible about their ‘filthy disgusting habit’, that’ll get them to give it up.  Trouble is, they’ve been thoroughly entrenched in this terrible mindset that they cannot see just how despicable they have become.

So these imbecilic buffoons, are quoting from the tobacco industry.  Whilst it is a reasonably true quote, the fact that a legitimate, gubmint funded (oh ok, taxpayer funded) front group are using it with the oh so obvious “you smokers are stupid people” undertone is outright hubris.

I’m going to pinch a line from one of my favourite video games for this next bit.

Mess Sergeant Gardner “they’ve got their heads buried so deep up their butt-puckers they can’t see squat”

Yes, thank you Mr Gardner.  They have indeed buried their collective heads up their collective butt-puckers.

These tweets from STAND are not, as they claim “anti-tobacco”, nor are they even “anti-smoking”.

Think of the cheeldren!

Of course, no anti-smoker campaign wouldn’t be complete without at least attempting to pull on the overplucked heartstrings.  “This is public health, think of the children”. Change the damn record folks. It’s not about health. It’s not about children. It’s about money.

You jumped on the oh so classy ANTZ-Train that promised a steady income to pay the mortgages on your homes.

Why else would you even consider mentioning teenagers being tomorrows customer? If you had any sense at all, which it is crystal clear you haven’t, you’d pull these messages down and replace them with something a little more encouraging rather than degrading and demoralising.

Oh.

Precisely my thoughts Jean-Luc. Customising your own obituary as a “loving” message to a smoker.  Too many words are rattling around in my head right now. Disgraceful. Disgusting. Immoral. Abhorrent. Evil. Malicious. Pick one, or add your own.

Perhaps, the folks over at sucSTAND should really read the following:

To many, “smoker” has become a negative label by default, but we can’t forget that smokers are people first and foremost. Conspicuous holding of breath, pretentious coughs, and blatant hand waving targeted at a smoker have somehow become acceptable social behavior. Passive aggressive sneers at their poison of choice do not go unnoticed and certainly do not help them quit smoking.

Real people, with real thoughts and feelings and your tweets sucSTAND are aimed at them.  Do you have any idea the kind of impact that has on them as real people.  I guess you don’t as you still get your funding approved each fiscal year.

A final word from the Captain…

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2 thoughts on “Anti what now?

  1. My sentiments exactly. It’s unacceptable that these public health groups get away with insulting, belittling, demonizing, and just plain bullying smokers. And to put the cherry on the cake – get paid for it by those same smokers tax money to do it.

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