Tuesday, 06 January 2009
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Smoking in Brazil Scares Me
by Anne
When I travel, I love to observe and learn the differences between that place and my own. While in Brazil last year, I noticed something pretty interesting to me.
Tobacco companies have it quite rough in the United States due to our mission toward a smoke-free society. But it seems that Brazil's laws might be just a tad bit harsher, which probably don't make the CEOs of these companies too happy. Luis and Philippe, who worked at the Bamboo Rio Hostel where I stayed at in Rio de Janeiro, didn't seem to mind.
In the U.S., cigarette boxes might have a minimum size requirement for the surgeon general's warning somewhere on the side. This is not so in Brazil. Brazil's cigarette packages you'll find a huge difference in the size of the warnings. In Brazil, the warning takes up the whole backside of the box! And if the words don't scare you enough, these warnings even include a photo of a horrible fate you might be dealt if you choose to begin or continue to take all of these chemicals into your system. And might I add, these photos are pretty graphic--no joke. Let's take a look at some of the boxes I saw. (Please excuse my translation errors if any. I did the best I could with internet translators.
)
Smoking causes lung cancer.
If you don't already believe it, here's a picture of a gruesome-looking lung to show you what the inside of your chest would look like if you continue to smoke. I can't even bear to look for more than a second.
Smoking causes mouth cancer and loss of teeth.
How do you like that for a close-up? I think not...
Children who live with smokers are more likely to have asthma, pneumonia, sinuses, and allergies.
If this doesn't make you feel guilty, I don't know what else would tug at your heart strings.
He's a victim of tobacco. Smoking causes vascular disease that can result in amputation.
Ouch. This does not look like a lifestyle I'd wanna lead. You?
Smoking causes early miscarriage.
In case the warning didn't do any good, this very sad and graphic photo sure hits the spot. You know what they say. A picture says a thousand words.
Is Brazil on to something? Would these pictures prevent you from smoking or persuade you to stop? Have you seen something similiar in another country?
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About the Author
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- From: anne
- Name: anne
- About Me: Age: 27, Location: New York, NY Favorite places I've visited: Trick question! I've been to so many amazing places, but if I absolutely had to pick, I'd settle on a couple places to shorten the list. Madrid, Spain because that's where I did my study abroad program when I was 18 and it was there that the travel bug bit me so hard it left a scar. I haven't been the same since. And Vietnam. That's where my family is from. Although, I'm Vietnamese American, I never actually visited Vietnam until I was 26. It was an awesome experience to learn about my family's history and I was quite pleased to show off my vietnamese language skills to the locals. It's quite a big deal for an american-born.
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Comments (26)
There's a few European countries that do this as well. I see no problem with this kind of advertising. Yes, it's gross but does it make you not want to smoke? If you think twice about smoking after seeing these pictures, then they got their message across!
I think that's a great idea. Obviously, the USA's little written warnings aren't doing much so why not put the picture out there?
It's a good idea to stop people from starting to smoke, but I don't know if it would do much for current smokers except make them feel really bad about themselves for being addicted to such a damaging product.
@LadyLibellule@xanga - Haha, I think you are dead on with your thoughts on this one.
omg they should do that hear
Thank God I smoke here in the States. I don't want those crazy lung diseases, or gangrene legs, but I do want smoking to get rid of my wisdom tooth. I should be safe, but pregnant women not so safe.
@namburgers@xanga - Just kidding, I don't smoke.
That's a great idea, but I think it's a little too graphic for me. Good thing I don't smoke either! Secondhand smoke is bad enough. My friends and I always hold our breath or jog past people that are smoking.
I saw similar packaging in London. I think It's a great way to prevent new smokers but I don't think it would persuade current smokers to stop.
I've seen those packaging before!! It's really is sad, but as a smoker.. I'll feel bad for that moment, and then buy a pack. I know. So bad. Smoking is addicting and a bad habit!
whoa, that's pretty crazy. could it be any bigger? haha. people make choices to smoke and know the consequences. this is just another way to convey the message for smokers to quit and for newbies to not start. i'm glad i'm not a smoker.
They should take hundreds more of these photos, roll them up, and insert 20 of them into every pack where the cigarettes themselves should be.
Then, increase the cigarette tax so that they cost about $20US.
@Alex_Horschack@xanga - Yeah man, rolling those pictures up into cigarettes will make the them look a lot less dull from the ugly white paper ones. I wonder what flavor it will taste like when they burn.
this is all pure shit.
so people want to smoke. LET THEM SMOKE, whatever happened to free will? some will argue, no doubt, that fair enough if a person wants to kill themselves slowly then so be it BUT it affects others around them: well smoking has been banned in most countries in public places so that you no longer deal with second hand smoke in buses,taxis,pubs,malls...what have you. So thats dramatcially decreased your second hand intake of smoke. lets see where else people smoke: on the streets, in their own cars and the privacy of their own homes.Leave them alone to smoke in peace. sheeesh. so the trend nowadays is to be the healthnut and thats an individuals choice:to smoke or not to smoke, but these kinds of campaigns go overboard with it.just as there is responsible drinking, there is also such a thing as responsible smoking, i dont in no way condone smoking around babies/pregnant women and i dont believe pregnant women should smoke either. but for fucks sake i am sick and tired of all yall goody goody's trying to make the world a better place by eliminating smoking. theres much worse out there that people should be worried than smoke. as im not addicted to smoking a campaign like that would definately make me guilty and kick the habit completely!!!! but for a person that is heavily addicted, these warnings dont really work...We have these on cigarette packets in the UK now.
I think they were introduced around 2 or 3 months ago.
They're not nice to look at, but.. Who cares?
Smoking is incredibly enjoyable. I would rather die at 30, having had an enjoyable, smoke-filled life, than die at 60 or above and having to deal with the obvious strains of elderly life.
My life is incredibly social-orientated. I couldn't imagine being like the sad old men on the bus.. They have like 3 friends, talk about the weather and the bus schedule, aren't interested in girls anymore (atleast I hope not.. Sick).. Life without ridiculously strong attraction to the opposite sex would be terrible.
Cigarettes are brilliant. Screw your shocking packaging, Mr. Government. I welcome the black lungs.
@puk_nthn_gai@xanga - Haha, I had a feeling it wouldn't affect smokers too much. But interesting for me to see since I don't see it in the U.S. Funny comment. =)
Good...that's a good idea! It really makes you look at smoking a different way. We all know its bad but when you actually see a black unhealthy lung on the side of the box it makes you reconsider.
If smokers have to see what affect their addictive habit will have on them, then people who eat foods that will clog your arteries and cause extreme obesity should see it too.
Seriously, I'm not a fan of smoking. I've done it before and it's not pleasant. But it's a personal choice. It's free will. If you think smokers don't know the risk that they're taking, then you are highly mistaken. I'm sure they even get tired of hearing it.
Just leave people to do whatever they're going to do. It's their life, their right, and their money.
LOL those packages are hilarious.
i'd love to watch the smokers reactions in the US if they introduced that here
ah, the last picture would definately make me think at least a million times before smoking. so sad. ):
i still would want to smoke. I'd smoke in the forest. Hey, the carbon dioxide would help the trees grow.. right? (: And no children there.
*catches serial killer* DUDE, you're harshing my mellow by killing that kid here. Kill him in the city or something.
tehe.
I think that's a great anti-smoking campaign. My fiance actually got asthma from his mother smoking in the house all the time. The doctors say it might clear up in a couple of years if he stays away from smoke, so maybe it's not actually asthma but just a breathing issue.
@LadyLibellule@xanga -..... never mind.... ROTFL
I wish they would sell those here in the states. The packaging we have is kinda boring.
I love it. People have the right to do whatever they want to their bodies, but damn it I have the right to breathe clean air when I want.
I'm Brazilian and I think that if there's one good thing Brazil did, that's it. Someone said it's ridiculous cause if people wanna smoke let them smoke, but a lot people DON'T KNOW what they're getting themselves into or have only an abstract idea of it. If they want to smoke they WILL smoke, nevertheless, but at least they'll have the whole picture before they do it.