Just reading a few articles today covering the latest increasingly shrill and futile attempts by tobacco companies to protest against legislation governing the sale of their vile product. It really is apparent that this mob are running out any cogent arguments, and a good thing too.
1. You don’t know that plain packaging will work, it’s never been tried.
Correct. We are trying it. It’s hardly going to increase sales of tobacco products, is it? And the argument that things should not be done because they have not been done before is puerile.
2. There’s no research that it will lower sales.
Consider this a research exercise. And if you think so, why are you running full-page newspaper advertisements complaining about it?
3. A whole market in black market tobacco will flourish, filled with nasty chemicals.
What, in comparison to the wholesome, healthgiving evil you flog now? How many million people does it kill or maim again on a yearly basis?
4. The government will be deprived of revenue through black market tobacco.
The government is quite happy to forgo those taxes, thank you. We’re lowering your sales, remember? Black market tobacco is a separate problem that will be addressed in time, that’s not an excuse for not eradicating your industry first.
5. It’s a legal product, this is a nanny state.
Nobody is stopping the sale of the product – just making it less attractive for people to buy something that is a major negative impact on the health of the general population. We already regulate the sale of alcohol, spray paint cans, arsenic and gelignite for the general good of the public – this is another example of that.
Keep ‘em coming, boys.
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