Roaming with an air of carefreeness, while taking a routine evening and meditative walk along a quiet path that is surrounded by dense plantations, I stumbled upon a pack of cigarettes. Mindlessly, I picked up the pack. It was empty—not like I cared about its emptiness or otherwise.
As the pack lay harmlessly on my tender palm, my eyes travelled through the write-ups on its surface. This is the first time I'll be taking a closer look at the inscriptions on cigarette packs.
"SMOKING CAUSES LUNG CANCER."
That was the first inscription my gaze rested on. There's absolutely no way anyone could've missed that, not to mention my prying eyes.
The inscription is bold, like a headline, and designed to grab immediate attention. It is centred on one of the larger surfaces of the pack and printed in uppercase letters with black ink against a white background to provide a perfect contrast.
Under the texts are two diagrams, representing different lungs, labelled "non-smoker's lungs" and "smoker's lungs," respectively.
The non-smoker's lungs look bright—it's a no-brainer that the brightness signifies healthiness. How about that of a smoker? dark—somewhat of an eyesore—shitty—unhealthy.
As someone who's been writing copy and product descriptions for brands, my curiosity was piqued. I flipped the pack intermittently, just so I could peruse the content written on the remaining five different surfaces of the rectangular box. My bet was that I'd find at least a minutely positive statement—an inscription that would explicitly state the benefits of smoking cigarettes.
"Stating the benefits of a product is the hallmark of marketing, usually implored by copywriters and writers of brand descriptions to drive in sales." "Isn't it?". I soliloquized.
No one in his right mind will argue the above statement with me. But this time around, I was greeted with an anomaly.
Here are the inscriptions on the other sides of the pack:
- "TOBACCO SMOKE CONTAINS OVER 70 SUBSTANCES KNOWN TO CAUSE CANCER."
- "SMOKING KILLS, QUIT NOW"
- "SMOKING CAUSES LUNGS CANCER (It was repeated on the opposite side)"
Nothing on the pack says good things about the product. On the contrary, it's admonishing on the dangers of consuming tobacco products.
Absolutely no advantage is mentioned. The pack spoke evil of its content at every given opportunity.
Ideally, here's a product that's de-marketing itself.
One can't help but wonder: do the "de-marketing" descriptions and inscriptions on cigarette packs actually de-market cigarettes? You'll wish.
But it will interest you to know that, on one of the pack's surfaces, one of the less visible texts states that this particular brand of cigarettes has been on the market since 1858. As of today, that's a whopping 165-year difference. It has spanned close to two centuries. That's no mean feat in the business world. This tobacco company must be making huge profits to have survived different economic climates and dispensations.
It is a well established fact that a brand has to be trusted and well patronised to last this long.
But what is this particular brand trusted for?
They just told you: giving lungs cancer and sentencing people to their early graves.
165 years of causing cancer and killing. What a feat!
PS: All pictures were taken by me,using my phone.
Ironically, it is one of the products that, although it says it kills you, is one of the best sellers in the world. Many say: it's menthol, it does less damage. Justifying the use. Thank you for this post that shows the truth of smoking cigarettes.
It's so ironic, to see people patronizing a product that warn people against itself.
Thanks for stopping by.
Smoking is very dangerous to the health but most people fail to heed to the advice until it reaches the critical stage and finally takes their lives.
I wonder 🤔 what else that can be done to at least reduce, if not eradicate the way people smoke.
There are those who never listens. More awareness campaign is needed to reduce the rate at which people smoke.
Thanks for stopping by.
I do understand that there's a certain pleasure derived from it, however, it's necessary to note that the manufacturers are at least truthful enough to state what exactly it does to the body and in this case, giving vivid images too. But in the end, everyone's entitled to their own choices and thus have to fake responsibility for it. It was nice of you to share.✨
Yeah! Everyone has the freedom to choose his/her way. The manufacturers are at least honest, lol.
Thanks for stopping by.
It's a pleasure.🤗
If smoking is that bad why are cigarettes still sold freely on the open market? Products with lesser healthy hazards are usually removed from the market, but cigarettes are sold explicitly. It goes to show the type of world we live in, where nothing is as it should be. The tobacco companies are influential--a cartel of some sort-- this is why despite the health risk of their product they remain in business.
Nothing is black and white in our today's world
At the end of it, we have to take full responsibility for what we choose to consume.
Thanks for stopping by bro.
Nothing is black and white in our today's world
At the end of it, we have to take full responsibility for what we choose to consume.
Thanks for stopping by bro.
Smoking has never yielded good result. Different people have their reasons for smoking, some are medicinal though but still, it doesn't erase the fact that it kills. If you tell an avid smoker that smoking kills, they'd tell you that they have lived for so so years and are still alive and kicking.
I wonder who's idea it was to make cigarettes in the first place.
I seriously I don't know whose idea it was. Lol
Thanks for stopping by.
You're very much welcome ✨
👍👍
They certainly got the people hooked, there's way too much money to be made, so there's no way they will stop selling cigarettes! It's like smokers are paying to get ill, by the time they wake up and realize what it's done to them, it's too late!
Thought-provoking blog @mmykel
The sellers won't stop. I'm only concerned over the buyers. Why use your money to purchase a known poison?
It's such a sad situation
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Now my question is when these people making cigarettes knows that smoking causes lung cancer, why then do they produce it out for people to smoke and turn to habit? So bad. Anyone who is sensitive and health conscious would see such bold inscription and move away from smoking.
I popped in through #dreemport
Money must be made. People do not care about the damage they're as far as it fetches them a fortune.
Thanks for stopping by
It´s my pleasure.
#dreemport brought me here.