Now don't get me wrong, I would be happy to see everyone who smokes give it up and live a longer life, although I believe they have the right not to do so. However, in the past few years, there has been a TV campaign to graphically scare smokers into quitting.
The first TV commercial urging users to quit smoking here in the US was aired after the death of Yul Brynner who died in 1985 from lung cancer due to smoking. It was sponsored by the American Cancer Association, and was quite appropriate and acceptable.
But in the past decade, anti-smoking commercials have reached the proportion of horror films, showing the most dire consequences of smoking short of death. And not only have we been producing our own horror clips, but we have even been importing them from overseas as in this one - just one of many which we have taken from Australia. (Warning - this clip contains graphic images!)
And what you see below is typical of the latest round that has started to appear on US television ... during the dinner hour!! Do I really need to see this before, during or after a meal? (Once again, this clip contains very disturbing images.)
My mother passed away due to the effects of a lifetime of smoking, and I am all in favor of people being educated about the side effects and long term consequences of smoking, but I don't smoke. My wife doesn't smoke. My children don't smoke.
I feel as if I am being taken to task and suffering the consequences as if I were a smoker, and I resent it! I don't feel I need to be subjected to these constant (and they are shown often!) images in the sanctity of my own living room!
What do you think? Am I being too sensitive? Or do I have a right NOT to be subjected to this? Even if you have never commented on a blog before, please take a moment to comment below on this issue. I need to know if I am the only one who feels this way.
