Controlling influences
Friday, February 14, 2020 at 11:55 
It’s Valentine’s Day and tobacco company Philip Morris wants smokers to quit for the sake of their loved ones.
Yesterday the company’s hyperactive and always inventive social media team tweeted the following question and command:
What’s more romantic than your significant other giving up a long-term habit for you?
Give up cigarettes this #ValentinesDay ❤️
In a video one half of three young couples is asked, 'Why did you quit smoking for your partner?'
They reply:
I quit smoking smoking for my partner because he constantly moaned at me for it.
I gave up smoking for my partner because it's something he hates the most.
I quit smoking because I love my partner and I want to spend more time with her ... And not to be smelly, of course.
A second tweet featured Christian, whose 'fiancée quit cigarettes and nicotine altogether', and asked the question:
As #ValentinesDay ❤️ approaches, would you give up cigarettes for your partner?
We'll never know what his fiancée thinks because she doesn't appear in the video.
According to Christian, however, the reason his fiancée gave up smoking is very simple:
I'm not gonna be like "smoke or me?". As long as you don't smoke around me, I don't mind. But "Yeah, do what you wish" and she was like, "What, you don't have an issue?". "No, I don't have an issue, just don't smoke around me." And I just spend all my time with her.
Bless. That’s either very sweet or, ahem, very controlling. You decide.
What’s more romantic than your significant other giving up a long-term habit for you?
— Philip Morris International (@InsidePMI) February 13, 2020
Give up cigarettes this #ValentinesDay ❤️. Find out more here ➡️ https://t.co/w0AcoXHEVc pic.twitter.com/9AquOneC4V
Reader Comments (2)
This is an intrusive and device strategy which denormalizes and persecutes smokers. The best way to support people is to respect their choices not imply propaganda that reinforces antismoking tropes. This is another case of social control and corporate dominance run amok.
How utterly revolting.