This post is all about plain packaging of cigarettes. So if you are affiliated with ASH (Action on Smoking and Health), you know where the exit is.
ASH are pressurising the government to bring in legislation forcing cigarette manufacturers to package their perfectly legal product in a plain box. There will be a standard font for the brand name, and the package is expected to be an olive green. The only thing that will be in glorious Technicolor will be gory graphics of blackened lungs (Wait a mo while I just take a peak at a packet to find what else), hideous growths, etc.
How many smokers actually even register these pictures? I certainly don’t. Part of the reason being is that in this day and age we are bombarded with a plethora of warning signs. We are suffering from Warning Sign Overload SyndromeTM in this present day.
A case to prove my point is what you find on a ship’s machinery space entry door. The list below contains some that you will see. There are so many, that your brain doesn’t really register any of them.
Wear Ear defenders.
Authorised personnel only.
Machinery may start without warning.
Danger high voltage.
Hard hats to be worn.
Do not open this door in event of fire.
No smoking.
Safety boots to be worn.
Inflammable liquids
Freon gas.
No sex please, we’re British.
(OK I made the last one up).
My point is, we are becoming immune to warning signs (Well I am). All it needs on an engine room door is one sign.
This is a dangerous area, take care.
The same with graphic images on cigarette packages. They just don’t register with me. I just open the packet without a glance.
ASH. You may re-enter.
True, true and spoken with a mouthful of teeth, that man there - but the mistake is to try to employ logic, reason or common-sense in such an emotive issue during these PC times. Our glorious leaders and do-gooders are always right and we should unfailingly obey their magnificent edicts. Us mere sheeple need these super competant persons to think on our behalf.
ReplyDeleteyes to the above comment :D
ReplyDeleteIt's something to do with being sued for negligence.
ReplyDeleteWarning, I might be wrong about this.
But have you not disproved your own point ? If people are so immune to the specific warning part of the box, and I don't disagree, the packaging becomes more important. All the pretty colours certainly take a lot away from the warning anyway.
ReplyDeleteBloody spam.
ReplyDelete