As much as I hate smoking and counting the days till it is no longer allowed in ANY public places (not that I expect to happen) I am really miffed (sp?) by something.

I find it really unfair that the cigarette companies have to spend a ton of effort/money telling people not to buy their products. Have you ever visited a web site of a cigarette company. I did, just curious about what they were saying re: "don't smoke".

Where else in the world do you see a company forced to PAY to tell potential customers not to purchase their product?

I don't like the stuff. I think it is awful. I would do anything to incourage my DD not to smoke. I do agree they should be totally responsible for keeping their products from being marketed to kids. But to be required BY LAW to have an entire web site area just to say "don't buy our product"? Admit that is will kill you, but that should be enough.

By Alberobello on Thursday, December 15, 2005 - 05:58 pm:

I'm sorry, i know this is a very old topic but i found it curios too. I visited the homepage of Philip Morris and you are right, most of the site is devoted to the health issues of smoking. I found really funny reading about their vision and mission, nowhere does it state that they are there to sell cigarettes AND make profit out of it!

Why don't they stop selling altogether? They should change direction and begin to give health advice, they seem to be pretty good at it... (I'm being ironic here ).

By Emily7 on Thursday, December 15, 2005 - 06:32 pm:

I maybe wrong, but I think that part of the reason they have to do that is part of a settlement the tobacco companies made. So it may just be cheaper for them to have these websites & stuff rather than dealing with continuous lawsuits.
When my dh quit the patch & Wellbutrin he took was paid for by the tobacco coalition, they got their money from the settlement the tobacco companies paid. So not only are they paying for websites, but they are also paying to help people quit smoking.

By Amecmom on Thursday, December 15, 2005 - 06:49 pm:

Yes, Emily. It is part of the settlement.
Ame

By Reds9298 on Thursday, December 15, 2005 - 09:09 pm:

I agree Dana. Isn't that why McDonald's products say "Caution-Very Hot"? It's laughable really. We know coffee is hot, but we can't sue if it's printed on the side. What a society we have become.

By Groovepickle on Wednesday, January 4, 2006 - 05:21 pm:

No kidding where did personal responsibility go? Pretty soon sidewalks will say "Possibility of tripping on cracks"