Friday 12 October 2012

Teens Have No Interest In Cigarette Packets .. Say Smokefree South West!

In April, Smokefree South West were papering up the West Country with signs - paid for with £468k of your taxes - stating that branding of tobacco was so alluring to the young that it has to be banned immediately!


However, in July, their Director Fiona Andrews seems to have changed her mind during a Powerpoint presentation (slide 10).
- Teenagers interviewed could associate few values with
manufactured ‘stick’ brands 
- Few expressed any interest in manufactured packet or
‘stick’ brands:  “What grannies smoke”
Far from enticing youngsters, Fiona is quite sure that tailored cigarette brands are something that youngsters wish to avoid. They're what grannies smoke. Ewww!

So what's with the guff they've been spreading about all those tailored packs, then? Perhaps they'd like to tell the British Heart Foundation of this discovery, because their propaganda concentrates on nothing else (badly).



On the plus side, Fiona's refreshing honesty does mostly agree with the conclusions of Cancer Research UK, who are adamant that kids barely notice any tobacco packaging.

Something tells me that this 'compelling evidence' they keep badgering MPs with is anything but. Do you think they might just be, I dunno, making it all up as they go along?



8 comments:

Mark.S said...

Maybe someone got the wrong memo, nothing a bit of extra taxpayers cash might help clarify.....

Crossbow said...

She also appears to have identified that a " positive & courteous approach is likely to provide further encouragement"
If she carries on saying things like that, she will be joining the ranks of the unemployed :P

AllanHansford said...

Put
cigarette pack next to a plain pack, or a pack of tobacco next to a
plain pack... What is the first question any kid will ask? They will
ask, "What's in that one?" and point to the plain pack. Kids are
inquisitive creatures and they have a need to learn and know.

nisakiman said...

"Do you think they might just be, I dunno, making it all up as they go along?"

Naah. DP, these people are professionals, they are experts. They know everything. They don't make stuff up, they're far too ethical for that.

Next thing you'll be telling us that there's no such thing as third-hand smoke!

Jay said...

There's no such thing as third-hand smoke. There! :P

SteveW said...

Hang your heads, both of you.
If they were just making stuff up they'd have no real evidence and end up resorting to ever more ridiculous claims coupled with frantic arm waving. Er, oh...

Lou said...

Err.... the lady doth miss the point.
The height of cool amongst the 17 to 21's in my area is to meander with a tobacco pouch sticking out your jeans hip pocket. And (s)he who can roll one without even looking; well that's VF impressive.
And here's the kicker: what's in the pouch is seldom what the manufacturer put there. It's tobacco all right, but stuff they get from mates.
Plain pack that lot... yea sure.

Frank J said...

I dunno. I have the impression they feel they might lose this one on a Europe level at least, so they're trying to back out with 'grace'. Maybe they're trying to look 'reasonable' given the bashing they take on blogs for example or maybe just a trade off for a ban in cars. Could just be they're worried about funding. No idea.


Whichever, I don't trust the bastards an inch.