As if we needed any more reason to hate big tobacco…
Posted in Health, Politics by George
Big Tobacco is intentionally misleading voters in Ohio. Currently health groups are petitioning for smoking bans. These groups are petitioning with the name “Smoke Free Ohio.”
Tobacco Companies have created a similar petition group called “Smoke Less Ohio,” which different in one way… it actually allows smoking in virtually all public places. The same is happening in Arizona. The tobacco companies are trying to eliminate smoking bans throughout the country by confusing voters.
The following quote is from a very good MSNBC article:
But are the tobacco companies playing fair? When NBC News approached petition gatherers in Phoenix with our hidden cameras, they never told us they were being paid by cigarette makers. In fact, they implied just the opposite.
Petition gatherer #1: Do you smoke?
NBC: No, I don’t.
Petition gatherer #1: Oh, yeah. Well, this is The Non-Smoker Protection Act.
NBC: So, if I am a non-smoker, that’s the one to do?
Petition gatherer #2: Yeah.
NBC: So this is a good one if you’re a non-smoker?
Petition gatherer #3: Yeah, this is a good one because I have asthma, that’s why I believe in this one.
NBC: This basically is a ban then on smoking?
Petition Gatherer #3: Yeah.
Well, that is just not true. If you really read the seven-page Arizona Non-Smoker Protection Act, you’ll see it allows smoking almost anywhere liquor is sold.
August 10th, 2006 at 11:53 am
I do not smoke, never will, but I think we should be allowed the choice.
I don’t like it in my restaurants, and I don’t like it in my house, but I don’t want it banned everywhere. That is too Orwellian for me.
2nd-hand smoke is not good, but neither is auto exhaust. I live in a city, and certainly smell more auto exhaust than cigarette smoke.
Just my opinion…
August 10th, 2006 at 11:58 am
But do you think it’s right that tobacco companies are walking around with petitions, purposely misleading voters?
August 11th, 2006 at 4:46 pm
The questions are:
Is it ethical? Of course it’s misleading.
Is it illegal? Probably, no. The brilliant legal minds of this company most likely have this interesting petition well covered.
So, you’re going to fault a company for trying to protect it’s livelihood, just b/c what it is doing is unethical? Unless you are calling for a stop to all unethical businesses (spammers, telemarketers who keep calling you, companies who fool you with fine print), your complaint lies with the laws of the town, state, and country.
August 13th, 2006 at 3:07 pm
Chris, I think it’s pretty reasonable to think something is wrong if it’s unethical… such as this blatant lie.