Smoke Spots: enjoy it while you can
Thursday, January 23, 2014 at 13:37 Uninteresting fact.
For 17 years Simon Chapman (see previous post) was deputy editor and editor of the BMJ’s Tobacco Control.
On Tuesday Tobacco Control posted an article (paper?) arguing that Imperial Tobacco's Smoke Spots website is "inconsistent with FCTC's ban on directly or indirectly promoting tobacco use".
According to this logic, if anyone highlights a smoker-friendly venue – Boisdale, for example – they are "promoting tobacco use".
I can see the argument - just - but it's pretty twisted. You may as well argue that cigarette bins promote tobacco use. (Update: I know, I know, some councils do.)
Like cig bins, Smoke Spots isn't targeting non-smokers. It's quite clearly aimed at existing adult smokers, people who have made an informed decision to smoke and want to find somewhere where they can socialise without being made to feel unwelcome or uncomfortable.
What about the rights of smokers to (a) smoke in some public/private places, and (b) assemble freely with other smokers?
Should they be denied information that allows them to do so because, "directly or indirectly", it promotes tobacco use?
Smoke Spots is a great site, by the way. Enjoy it while you can.
See Smoke spots: promoting smoking with social media (Tobacco Control)
Reader Comments (5)
" You might as well argue that cigarette bins promote tobacco use."
I think they've already done this, hence why in multiple locations of nutcases they've cheered as ashtrays and other such things have been thrown in the bins and barred. I honestly think that some time in the future, these people will be seen through history as the (supposedly atheist) "health" religion fanatics they are.
You're right. I've updated the post to reflect that point.
By making that statement, Chapman is promoting smoking, in the same way that "NO SMOKING" signs draw attention to smoking. Superb, free publicity.
Ever since the Smoking ban was mooted I have smoked more as it put my nerves on edge and think about Smoking a lot more than I did before ?
Oh come on. Are you really that naive to think this isn't part of a massive marketing campaign by Imperial Tobacco? They've got shedloads of advertising money they can't spend anymore, instead they're slyly promoting their products to gullible hipsters through this pointless site and app.