Ignite California

[meencantaelques]

Everyone knows that the tobacco industry is evil and markets its products to our generation. That’s why for the past five years, with our peers all over the country, we have launched a direct assault on the tobacco companies. We’ve had sit-ins outside their offices, aired commercials exposing their lies, coordinated letter campaigns to fill their

Comments

[rugbynila]

Go Chomper! I think you rock and you're fighting for a great cause. But sometimes, I dunno, sometimes I feel the fight against tobacco companies are useless. I mean kids smoke because they want to. They know it's bad for them. I don't think they smoke because of excellent marketing in the part of tobacco companies, but because of bigger issues (societal and at home). "Targeting the targeters" is a formidable task. They have loads of money and we all know money = power. But consumers might be more easy to approach. Anyway, I don't mean to sound discouraging. I think you're wonderful for doing this.

[rugbynila]

Whats the point in that, once we get to the consumer they are dead or so ignorant that it is nearly impossible to have a conversation, believe I've been there.
This product would not be alive if it wasn't for the marketing. There is nothing about tobacco that would get you attracted to it if it wasn't for the marketing.
IT is also not about taking the easy way out but about taking up a fight and following through.

[rugbynila]

I doubt that very few smokers remain ignorant about the risks of smoking. I think you need to ask exactly who you're fighting for. You should also keep an open mind about the reasons why people smoke, whoever you are. You can't take a stance like: "There is nothing about tobacco that would get you attracted to it if it wasn't for the marketing". If you do, no one would listen to you because that's utter bullshit.

[rugbynila]

Check out this pro-smoking site and specifically this. I was wrong, not all smokers know the risks. If you target those who don't profit financially from smoking--those who buy the product that drives the tobacco industry--then wouldn't you be indirectly fighting the tobacco industry?

[meencantaelques]

AS for me, I have no motivation to target smokers. It's just not my thing. I am not trying to educate them at this point in my advocacy right now. There are many others doing it and you know good for them. Maybe that will become something of my later chapters of my life, maybe not.