Tom Toles for December 14, 2011

They have always been under the tent. Thay will alway be.

And, remember: when the 63 year-old dies of lung cancer, it will be his own fault for starting to smoke at the age of seven!

Bubble gum cigars – yumm. i remember them. they did not lead to tobacco, but I know what the intent was. Guess they can’t hook us all!

That camel guy never appealed to me either. He reminded me of our Priest – disgusting.

Never smoked because Joe Camel or Marlboro man made it cool. We smoked because we had that cool uncle or older cousin who did. In middle school we used to smoke New Ports before school started. The other two brands sucked. Did it for one semester and quit. Hated the smell it left on my clothes and all the teachers telling me to stop smoking.

But don’t think for a minute that some of us weren’t influenced by those cartoon ads to smoke. Had two friends in elementary school (sixth grade) who admitted to smoking because of Joe Camel. Everyone in my class knew who he was. I still remember that 75 years and still smoking shirt one of my uncles used to wear.

Joe Camel’s a dick.

Since smoking removes over 400,000 people from the gene pool annually, one would think it would be outlawed. But money talks, and corporations are people too…

And your point is what? That we should all start smoking when we’re five?

“candy flavored’ is misleading, just like those ’truth’’ commercials that said “children’s flavors” .Adults also like flavor. Come to think of it, why are there never any rallying against ‘big alcohol’ for ’children’s flavors’? The latest booze fad flavors – Birthday cake & whipped cream vodkas.

^ The detrimental health effect of tobacco products isn’t anecdotal, it’s factual.

But they do get exposed to their actions, how many children get abused or neglected because ‘daddys on the drink again’. The horror stories my mother has told me about growing up with an alcoholic father, how when that first drink was finished, the belt would come off.

Those others who’ve commented on my comment, see DrCanuck’ comment.

My mother smoked through all 3 of her pregnancies (hey, it was the early 60’s). None of us were underweight or asthmatic, or whatever. Both my parents smoked when I was growing up. Of the three children, I’m the only one who smokes, and I didn’t start until I was in my 20’s.

My dad quit in his early 40’s but died of cancer (maybe brought on by smoking, maybe not) in his late 40’s. My mom smoked for 50 years, and has chewed nicotine gum now for more than 15 (she’s 82 and has health problems, which may have been a result of smoking or may not, but then again she’s 82).

But this is just anecdotal; it is what it is, and it isn’t what it isn’t. Yes, the overall detrimental effects of tobacco are well known, but they may not manifest in any given particular instance. Telling people “If you’re in a room with a smoker, you will be dead in six months; I know, because I’ve seen it happen” loses its potency as an argument when it meets its equal but opposite anecdotal case.

On marketing to kids: There was an episode of “Mad Men” where Draper was meeting with the American Lung Association about a possible anti-smoking ad campaign. (Half the people sitting at that table were smoking throughout.) Draper said something like “The truth is that smokers almost never change brands. And with their loyal customers dropping like flies, the main purpose of cigarette advertising is to create NEW smokers.” They can’t use cartoon characters anymore; what they CAN do is soak the papers and filters in sugar-water, to disguise the natural taste of the tobacco (which is, as they say, an “acquired” taste). Children perceive “sweet” more strongly than adults, and upping the sugar content of ANYTHING is, whether by design or not, going to increase its allure to kids.

FInally, comparing alcohol and tobacco is like comparing apples and oranges, but it’s not like comparing apples and belt sanders. Some of the issues are the same, some are very different.

Most of those to whom I regularly sell fruity little cigars dump out the tobacco & fill it with something more interesting. In my day, it was root beer flavored E Z Widers. Whipped cream vodka? As Granddaddy’d say, you just think you’re man enough to drink.

Corporations are people? I will believe that when Texas excutes one.

Exactly WHY do we STILL give farm subsidies to tobacco farmers to “stabilize” the price of their product, and protect them from loss??? Oh, right, for the same reason we heavily subsidize OIL companies!!

When I was 18 and living in New York City, many years ago now, I used to visit a store where there were three Cuban cigar rollers, who rolled the cigars right out in the shop where you could watch them. It was quite fascinating. I used to buy cigars from them — it seemed only fair — and I tried to smoke a few, but I just couldn’t stand the taste.

My Dad smoked Lucky Strikes and wore Old Spice. When I was growing up, I often wished to adopt his habits, but was never able. Probably due to the strong flavor of the Luckies. Smoked as an adult for a few years and gave it up. Don’t really miss it but I still occasionally smoke a Cohiba (Cuban ) cigar.

Joe got a job as Jar Jar Binks in Star wars movies.

They gave us lots of smokes in our “C’s”, and I got all the Pall Mall,’cause the wusses only wanted filters. I quit 15 years ago when my mother in law was diagnosed with cancer, and she got the “fatal” call as we shared time over cigarettes and coffee. I quit smoking, and coffee after that day.

It IS important to note however, that without tobacco going to England, we’d be speaking Spanish in the whole U.S..

Smoke cigarettes, save Social Security for the non-smokers!

“You’re despicable”-Daffy Duck