Does anyone else find the latest tv campaign re smoking a step too far?  I can't bear to watch.  As a non smoker, I wish I didn't have to be exposed to this. :(  There surely can't be anyone left now who doesn't know smoking is bad for health so I don't really see what goods these campaigns are doing.

Apparently there is a definite correlation between the showing of these ads and a rise in people giving up smoking - and a definite fall in quitters when the ads are stopped, so it must be doing some good.  They are horrific though - I can watch all of them except that old one where the woman gets fat on her skirt just made me feel ill!

But have you seen the latest Nikita which involves people being dragged around by huge wire hooks in their mouths?  That's the one I can't watch.

now in psychology I learnt that shocking people doesn't work!? they just can't make up their minds

I have to agree that the 'get unhooked' ads I couldn't see how/why that would stop you smoking - very odd!

I dont smoke though (well not for over 15 years) so maybe if you are 'hooked' on smoking it may ring home?

Have you ever seen the short film starring Ewan McGregor called Desserts ?.

Only a few minutes long - but that's enough !. It is very clever - not about smoking - but makes you think.

If you think that smoking advert is bad then you won't like it !. A hook is involved !.

Val

Ewww, no I'm rather glad I haven't seen that arched!

The trouble is my children, ages 18, 16, 13 & 11 find those ads funny surely these are the age groups they are supposed to scare off?

Non of them smoke or have even tried, they know they would be found out as we are a family of non-smokers on both sides of the family.

The trouble is my children, ages 18, 16, 13 & 11 find those ads funny   surely these are the age groups they are supposed to scare off?

Well that's a dead loss then isn't it Sharon? :D  Glad to hear they don't smoke though.

>The trouble is my children, ages 18, 16, 13 & 11 find those ads funny   surely these are the age groups they are supposed to scare off?

Absolutely.  Still too many kids taking up the disgusting habit. IMO smoking has to be made to be seen as uncool.  I see the students at our local college standing under a shelter erected for smokers and think they look totally ridiculous huddled together in a fug. Obviously they don't see it that way or that their behaviour is being controlled by a silly little white stick.  Also smokers really don't appreciate how they stink when they've been smoking.  I know this because I used to smoke and until I stopped I had no idea how bad smokers smell regardless of how much they try to mask it.

I have, I don't find it too bad - bearable - but then I also like watching the more gruesome horror films :D mind you, the one that does bother me at the mo is the billboard version, where the hook is going through the guy's top lip and coming out again, that does make me feel a bit iffy.

I can't think who it was that said about the correlation between quitters and the ads - it was on the radio, I think it was someone from the NHS campaign (oddly enough!).

I'm with you Annie on this, whether I see it on the TV or on a billboard I have to look away I find it gross.  Not sure if it will make people think about stopping though as I stopped on May 13th last year!  *smug smile*.  I did it after smoking too many in one day and made myself feel ill!  (not intentionally).

Husband and I got each other Sky Plus for Christmas, so no more wretched adverts. :D

My OH and I said we should tape EVERYTHING to avoid adverts ! :)

Congrats for stopping smoking Craigles - less money for Gordon!! :D

Anthing thats stops people from smoking, even if it just one person is OK. I speak as an ex smoker. It took C.O.P.D and an episode in hospital where I nearly died to stop me. Hopefully others will be more sensible than I was. By the way, come April I will have stopped smoking for 3 years. Of course I still have C.O.P.D But hopefully it will not get worse. And. I can just about ttake my dogs out although it takes two sessions now

I was 7 months pregnant when I gave up smoking. I had triedand tried from before I was even pregnant.
The reason I stopped, and not smoked since, I had a dream my baby would be still born.
Now for me, if people could see the effects of smoking, Ie a mother who has lost her baby because of smoking then alot more people would stop. There has to be a good reason for stopping.
Saying that my brother and sister in law smoke. The smoke around there daughter who has been in hospital with breathing problems. And these are parents who worship their relationship and daughter above and behond and to the detriment of every thing and anyone else.
Lea.

C.O.P.D.???????
(BTW I have been stopped over 8 years now, thats 20-40 a day to nothing!!)
Lea :)

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease....
I gave up 9 years ago, I love the feeling of freedom! I have had a cigarette in sillier moments under the influence usually, but felt so in charge.
I am free, I was inspired by people who had already given up, thinking, well if so and so managed to do it, then of course I will be able to.
Karen

Thankyou. Never heard of it !!!!
I have had a cigarette in sillier moments under the influence usually, but felt so in charge.

So have I!!!! I have had 2 in the 8 years, and my mouth tasted like an ash tray and more hungover from the fag than the drink the next day. It was HORRIBLE!!!! Cant believe I used to smoke up to 40 a day!!!!
Lea :)

I tried to give up in early January (didnt do very well, hence the word 'tried' :D ) and I found that these adverts only served to remind me of smoking. Everytime I settled down and stopped thinking about it, one of these ads would come on and remind me that I had given up smoking and put the thought of a nice ciggie in my mind again.

I have managed to cut down by about 3/4's and have a stop smoking date in my mind that I wont tell anyone about until it comes. I will succeed, I am adamant about it!

Well done all those who have managed to kick the habit :)

C.O.P.D  is Chronic Obstricted Pulmonary Disease

i'm a non smoker (used to smoke socially / casually, but gave up about 6 yrs ago) and i must admit, none of the smoking ads bother me. The only one that really 'got to me' was the one with the kids exhaling smoke? I think smoking is vile and can't wait until its banned in public places (the town where OH works is soon to become a smoking free zone-woohoo!), so whatever works. I agree with other posters though-to address the younger market it needs to seen as (already said) "uncool". I must admit, i smoked out of peerp pressure then kind of got to like it-why i never know. The after effects of giving up were enough to put me off smoking again (coughing up all sorts of disgusting tasting lumps of stuff). Ugh.

But I really don't think these anti smoking ads make any difference - bit like the drinking and driving ones (so far, I've never heard of anyone who stopped either because of the ads although naturally the people involved in making the ads will claim otherwise) and they're undoubtedly spending huge amounts of money on them which could be better used elsewhere.  Probably the people who take the most notice are the people who don't do either anyway!  The problem is that the people who make them obviously feel the need to try to make them more shocking each time and personally I do feel the latest anti smoking one is really awful.

Looks like I'm just going to have to record anything I want to watch on a commercial station so I can fast forward through the ads until they stop them. :)

I'm a non-smoker and must admit it makes me turn away from the TV!

what worries me is the amount of children that will put fishhooks in there mouths because they have seen it on the tv, i asked my 12 year old what she thought of the adverts and she said stupid, nothing will put off people if they want to smoke, just like she said and looked at me nothing will stop fat people eating chocolate and cakes when they know it is not good for you at that point i stopped talking to her
carolann