These state-funded shysters presumably think that the public will be more outraged if they believe that cigarettes are sold under such names as 'Rebellion' and 'Allure', rather than actual brands such as 'Lambert and Butler', 'Marlboro' and 'Benson and Hedges'. To compound the deceit, they have sexed up the packs by giving them health warnings which are half the actual size and by not showing the mandatory graphic images at all.
As the public consultation on this risible policy draws to a close, it is fitting that a campaign based on shoddy evidence and innuendo has descended into outright fabrication.
It ends on July 10th. Make sure you give nanny a slap in the face by responding here or here before then. Ta.
14 comments:
"To compound the deceit, they have sexed up the packs by giving them health warnings which are half the actual size and by not showing the mandatory graphic images at all."
In the CRUK video of the cheeeldren looking at the shiney, glitzy, brightly coloured packs what stood out to me was that the kids weren't projectile vomiting or traumatised by the grotesque gallery of images.
Either there were no images and therefore not a true test or the images are a total failure.
Oddly, the packs in the vid above put me in mind of condoms rather than cigs.
Good God, who did the voice over?
I'm pretty sure there must be some way of nailing them on the trade descriptions act? There's a lot of BS in that advert.
The V/O is obviously an Honor Blackman soundalike.
Someone should further infringe someone else's marketing by bringing out ASH, CRUK, BHF and BMA cigarettes, no?
Nice bit of observation about the warning size on the packs as well, never noticed as I dont look at 'em.
'Someone should further infringe someone else's marketing by bringing out ASH, CRUK, BHF and BMA cigarettes, no?'
Yes.
That'd be sweet.
A serious problem with this consultation is that SS.ASH ET AL will turn it into some sort of referendum. The Healthists in the DoH will count 'the votes'.
The idea that 'a consultation' should be a 'referendum' ought to be anathema. 50,000 votes 'FOR' are meaningless, unless they have rational, individual, 'scientific' reasons for their support.
If Lansley (and Milton) produce 'tens of thousands of postcards' as reason to impose plain packaging, then they must have ignored the millions who who don't care (and that includes smokers). I completed the
questionnaire, but, frankly, I don't give a toss about the matter - provided that the forthcoming law does not ban the import of cigs (from the EU) which do not comply to UK packaging regulations.
This is just another example of 'soundbite' regulation. Well...So be it. The more taxpayers funds the Gov throw at the Tobacco Control Industry, the more we PETS (People who Enjoy Tobacco) will resist.
To give the antis the benefit of the doubt it may be that showing actual brands would have left them liable to legal action by the owners of those brands. Of course now that the government is taking over ownership of branding that will be less of a problem in the future.
There's a voiceover?
Does anyone know what study this 37% of ex-smokers say smoking ban helped them quit comes from?
Because as smoker prevelance has remained static since the smoking ban, one would assume that these 37% either would have quit any way, or a similar amount of smokers failed to quit who would would have quit had it not been for the smoking ban. Or a combination of the two.
Or am I bieng stupid?
Dear Mr Snowdon
There is so much deceit involved in the whole shameful exercise, it makes one despair for Truth. We are bombarded with lies from all angles from our political classes, erstwhile public servants and their army of hangers-on across the whole range of subjects which make up life. There are too many people with not enough to do and the wherewithal (from the taxpayers’ deep pockets) to fund their compulsive obsessions.
A solution is to ignore them and starve them of as much revenue as possible. Meanwhile our current prosperity fuelled by cheap oil energy is drawing to a close. Interesting times ahead ...
@ Junican 5 July 2012 02:51
"... provided that the forthcoming law does not ban the import of cigs (from the EU) which do not comply to UK packaging regulations."
Our 'government' does nothing without the approval, or at the behest of the EU. The UK is currently the EU's vanguard for everything illiberal they can think of as part of a process of re-aligning the world's perception of the British as the fount of freedom and liberty.
Plain packs will be rolled out across Europe when the eureaucrats choose.
@ Fredrik Eich 5 July 2012 10:07
37% of bugger all is still bugger all.
DP
PS I smoked the second of my 3 a year habit on Sunday 1 July, National Smoking Day – feel free to light up.
Fredrik, our definition of quit is 'stopped smoking for good'.
Theirs is 'stopped smoking for 4 weeks'. Not all of which is smoke free.
I would guess that all their 'quitters'may have filled in questionnaires full of loaded questions as part of the smoking cessation programme. Suppose it'd be easy to find out.
Knowing you're being decieved, knowing they're lying, and being aware that the only thing you can do is sit and watch it is very frustrating.
Understanding that government employees are active participants and - in some cases - instigators of this fraud has lead to my having no trust in ANYTHING even remotely connected with the "establishment".
It's a hellish lonely place to be and expensive too, but it has it's advantages.
They complain that we're acting as role models for the youngsters by standing outside places puffing away. That may be the case when the family member you revere does so, like an uncle or such.
They say our packs act as adverts for specific brands, yet the greatest hurdle our teens have to overcome is the price - and, by hiding the display (or the price as they are in some supermarkets in Scotland) they remove that barrier.
It's interesting to observe the convoluted logic; the desperate measures to which they stoop and the pathetic attempts by Peers and Baroness and MP's to gain press exposure and personal prestige by regurgitating this toxic mix.
Yet there is one thing that I find makes this so much easier to handle. Exposing these lies, exposing these techniques and spreading the word to others.
It works because it's visible on so many levels in so many spheres. From government funding, through the health industry, IVF, housing, the entire system, (including the Lottery for crying out loud).
Yes we're about TCI, but our willingness to go against the grain, to question and to expose these outrages has helped others say thing like wind turbines are utter rubbish... etc.
Distrust of politicians is at an all time high. Now it's spreading to every aspect of public life and organs of the State. How many truely believe the BBC is impartial I wonder.
What we're observing has NOTHING to do with democracy, it's a cabal that's intent on appeasing a tiny minority and that places the entire TC industry in the same league as any corrupt entity.
The error they make - consistently - is we're role models in another way. On the Web and in real life, we're prepared to put in the time to get that message out there.
THEY LIE.
Sorry to point out a mistake in this post when I am so against plain packaging but 'Allure' cigarettes do exist, my Mrs smokes them.
I've not seen them in this country but when we go abroad she brings a truckload back.
They're still not relevant to the debate if they aren't sold in this country though
Your round, we're just nipping out for a quick...
http://sixthseal.com/2004/12/shag-cigarettes-review/
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